By Bill Alexander
Well over a decade ago, the staff at the World Inter-Action Mondiale (WIAM) in Ottawa was struggling to get the public involved in global issues outside of the mainstream media.
While the country was becoming more and more dependant on television to keep them informed, it seemed appropriate to try and reach the masses with something similar: Film.
The One World Film Festival was born, and has since blossomed into a well-known and well-attended celebration of images and information.
Now approaching its 15th installment, this year’s festival will feature over 20 films shown over the course of 10 days, films that document a wide-range of current issues as diverse as the planet itself.
They are organized under five themes ranging from sex to the environment, money to militarism.
“It is a more ambitious programe than we have had in the past,” says Michele Wozny, the festival’s sponsorship and publicity co-ordinator. “People will learn about the art of making a documentary film in addition to the issues addressed in the films.”
The festival still has the same goal – to promote an understanding, through film, of issues affecting communities throughout the world and here at home. And this year, more is being done in order to facilitate that goal.
As part of the 10 day event, information tables will be set-up so that attendees can learn more about the topics discussed in the various films, as well as other topics affecting the global community.
In order to further encourage audience involvement, the festival organizers have added a Directors Forum to the agenda, where participating filmmakers will discuss the changing face of the documentary, as well as issues raised within the films.
“Some of these filmmakers are living in our city,” says Wozny. “These issues are not far away. Each topic affects the way we live as Canadians on a daily basis. But we are not setting up a ‘we / they’ mentality. It is about us.”
WIAM hopes that these films will raise awareness of international issues that have perhaps become buried beneath the weight of big headline news items and trends.
“These films have entertainment value but, even more so, educational value,” says Prince Jusu Nallo, program manager for WIAM. “You get an understanding of different cultures and learn about issues that you might not find in the mainstream media.”
WIAM was founded in 1972, and has since functioned as a non-profit, charitable organization.
WIAM aims to promote awareness of global realities and to facilitate informed dialogue within the local community.
They have come to realize that a festival such as this one is a great way to put their mandate into motion.
Compared to other film festivals, One World is extraordinarly low-key. There are no stars, no critics, no glitz or glamour and no competition.
The festival acts as a showcase of reality-based films that deal with real issues. They are awarded solely on how well they resonate with their audience, and on how clear and truthful a picture they paint while using film as their canvas.
“We try to use informed knowledge for advocacy,” says Nallo. “We run the festival so that people can make judgments based on informed knowledge. It is not just ‘come see the movie and go’. The festival is an important tool for educating people in a non-threatening way.”
The festival makes a point of screening a certain number of Canadian works but, as Nallo points out, the goal is to raise issues that are universal.
“We are in this global village together,” adds Nallo.
“The key is that the power of movies is so strong that the images seem to speak for themselves. We learn more about other people by watching movies about them. (These films) are entertaining, educational and food for thought.”
The One World Film Festival runs October 20 to 30 at the National Library and Archives Canada and the University of Ottawa. For more information , visit www.wiam.ca