The United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) is almost here! In the eleven days, UNAFF will present documentaries from October 18-28, spotlighting current events from across the globe including Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, North Korea, Norway, Palestine, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Spain, Syria, UK, Uruguay and the US.
Additional topics include: the opioid epidemic in rural America; before Walt Disney, there was a woman at the vanguard of animation; can new technologies help us treat and prevent an alarming rise in untreatable bacterial diseases; female chefs in the male dominated food universe; who really pays the price for our clothing; how do our personal and collective histories of trauma affect who is perceived as a ‘perpetrator’ and a ‘victim’ of violence; students and prisoners meet to discuss classic works of Russian Literature; the story of one of the Holocaust’s most heroic figures – the last surviving Nuremberg Trials prosecutor; health risks from the rise of wireless technologies; racial stereotypes in US society through the lens of comics; child refugees; the transition of a transgender Vietnam veteran; gun laws; how innovation helps uncover crimes worldwide; the effects of runaway global warming; finding love while HIV positive; environmental injustices in Native Hawaii; the secret of the Silicon Valley success; a female Muslim immigrant running for elected office in the US; and the story of the whistleblower of the My Lai massacre.
This year’s theme TOMORROW? continues our over two decades long celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emphasizing the complexity of our current moment and exploring possible paths emanating from it into the future.
From October 18-28, the films will be screened in various Bay Area locations: Palo Alto, Stanford University, East Palo Alto and San Francisco.
8 documentaries will have their US premieres in the Festival including:
Life is a Beach (Bangladesh/Denmark)
Raghu Rai (India)
UNAFF is committed not only to presenting films, but also creating spaces where audience members can engage in ongoing dialogue about the subjects at hand. Six FREE panel discussions will take place during the course of the Festival covering: the future of borders and military spending; climate change, energy revolution and new technologies; how music and literature bringing us together; gender, race, religion and politics in popular culture; health challenges and technology; and therapies for our planet.
UNAFF’s mission has expanded to broad, year round programs that augment its reach. In addition to the annual film festival, UNAFF organizes panel discussions, initiates programs that engage children, students, seniors, veterans, hosts a traveling festival which keeps the films alive well beyond their initial festival showings and opens its doors to documentary film students and researchers.
For the full program visit www.unaff.org
The award winning UNAFF (the United Nations Association Film Festival) held annually in October at Stanford, Palo Alto, East Palo Alto and San Francisco, now in its 21st year has grown to be one of the oldest and most respected documentary film festivals in the United States. UNAFF was originally conceived to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was founded by Stanford educator and film critic Jasmina Bojic.
