Expressions of Social Justice Festival
Encyclopedia
The Expressions of Social Justice Festival began in March 2007 with film screenings occurring in Kitchener
and Waterloo
, Ontario
, and was originally named "Expressions of Social Justice Film Festival". The 2nd festival scheduled for September 2009 was renamed to reflect the expansion of the festival's programming to include an open mic night, an art sale featuring local artists, a benefit concert
and a performance of the Vagina Monologues.
Originally, the festival began as a means to highlight social justice
issues through film
and coincided with National Social Work Week. The festival's original committee include Social Work
students from University of Waterloo
and Wilfrid Laurier University
. Admission was by donation, however all proceeds were given to a local charity.
----
2007 Festival
The 2007 Festival included screenings at the Princess Twin Cinema in Waterloo
, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier's Faculty of Social Work building in downtown Kitchener
. Films included:
-Shelter from the Storm, a documentary produced in Toronto
, Ontario
about a tent-city erected by homeless individuals on a vacant property near the lake.
-C.R.A.Z.Y.
(2005), a French-language Canadian film from Quebec
. It tells the story of Zac, a young man dealing with his emerging homosexual feelings while growing up with four brothers and a conservative father in 1960s and 1970s Quebec
.
-Fix: the Story of an Addicted City a documentary set in Vancouver
about the Mayor Philip Owen
, and a group called VANDU
's efforts to reduce drug-related harm to users resulting in North America's only safe injection site
.
-Prom Fight: the Marc Hall Story, a documentary produced by Larry Peloso about Marc Hall's successful court challenge against the Durham Catholic District School Board to be able to bring his boyfriend to his prom.
-Sherrybaby
, (2006), starring Maggie Gyllenhaal
as a former heroin addict who has recently left prison and is attempting to re-establish a relationship with her young daughter.
-Murderball, (2005) a 2005 documentary film about quadriplegics who play wheelchair rugby
. It centers on the rivalry between the U.S. and Canadian teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games. It was directed by Henry Alex Rubin
and Dana Adam Shapiro
, and produced by Jeffrey Mandel and Shapiro. It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature for the 78th Academy Awards
.
----
2009 Festival
The 2009 Festival is scheduled to run from September 25, 2009 to October 2, 2009. A benefit concert is scheduled featuring local band Knock Knock Ginger. Locally produced documentaries will be featured and feature films include:
-Lars and the Real Girl
, (2007)
-Waltz with Bashir
, (2008)
-Milk
, (2008)
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
and Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and was originally named "Expressions of Social Justice Film Festival". The 2nd festival scheduled for September 2009 was renamed to reflect the expansion of the festival's programming to include an open mic night, an art sale featuring local artists, a benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
and a performance of the Vagina Monologues.
Originally, the festival began as a means to highlight social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
issues through film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and coincided with National Social Work Week. The festival's original committee include Social Work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
students from University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
and Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
. Admission was by donation, however all proceeds were given to a local charity.
----
2007 Festival
The 2007 Festival included screenings at the Princess Twin Cinema in Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier's Faculty of Social Work building in downtown Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
. Films included:
-Shelter from the Storm, a documentary produced in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
about a tent-city erected by homeless individuals on a vacant property near the lake.
-C.R.A.Z.Y.
C.R.A.Z.Y.
C.R.A.Z.Y. is a 2005 French-language Canadian film from Quebec. The film was directed and co-written by Jean-Marc Vallée. It tells the story of Zac, a young gay man dealing with homophobia and heterosexism while growing up with four brothers and a conservative father in 1960s and 1970s...
(2005), a French-language Canadian film from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. It tells the story of Zac, a young man dealing with his emerging homosexual feelings while growing up with four brothers and a conservative father in 1960s and 1970s Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
-Fix: the Story of an Addicted City a documentary set in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
about the Mayor Philip Owen
Philip Owen
Philip Walter Owen was the mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia from 1993 to 2002, making him one of Vancouver's longest serving mayors. His father was Walter S. Owen, who was Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1973 to 1978....
, and a group called VANDU
Vandu
Vandu is a village in Kadrina Parish, Lääne-Viru County, in northeastern Estonia....
's efforts to reduce drug-related harm to users resulting in North America's only safe injection site
Safe injection site
Supervised injection sites are legally sanctioned and medically supervised facilities designed to reduce nuisance from public drug use and provide a hygienic and stress-free...
.
-Prom Fight: the Marc Hall Story, a documentary produced by Larry Peloso about Marc Hall's successful court challenge against the Durham Catholic District School Board to be able to bring his boyfriend to his prom.
-Sherrybaby
Sherrybaby
Sherrybaby is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Laurie Collyer. Screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2006, the film received a limited release in the United States on September 8, 2006.-Plot:...
, (2006), starring Maggie Gyllenhaal
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Margaret Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal born November 16, 1977) is an American actress. She is the daughter of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal. She made her screen debut when she began to appear in her father's films...
as a former heroin addict who has recently left prison and is attempting to re-establish a relationship with her young daughter.
-Murderball, (2005) a 2005 documentary film about quadriplegics who play wheelchair rugby
Wheelchair rugby
Wheelchair rugby, , is a team sport for athletes with a disability. It is currently practiced in over twenty countries around the world and is a Paralympic sport....
. It centers on the rivalry between the U.S. and Canadian teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games. It was directed by Henry Alex Rubin
Henry Alex Rubin
Henry-Alex Rubin studied film at Phillips Academy, Andover and Columbia University. The son of a French mother and American father Henry-Alex Rubin studied film at Phillips Academy, Andover and Columbia University. The son of a French mother and American father Henry-Alex Rubin studied film at...
and Dana Adam Shapiro
Dana Adam Shapiro
Dana Adam Shapiro is an American film director, best known for his directorial work on the 2006 Academy Award nominated documentary Murderball.-Career:...
, and produced by Jeffrey Mandel and Shapiro. It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature for the 78th Academy Awards
78th Academy Awards
The 78th Academy Awards honored the best films of 2005 and were held on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. They were hosted by The Daily Show host Jon Stewart, with Tom Kane making his first appearance as the show's announcer...
.
----
2009 Festival
The 2009 Festival is scheduled to run from September 25, 2009 to October 2, 2009. A benefit concert is scheduled featuring local band Knock Knock Ginger. Locally produced documentaries will be featured and feature films include:
-Lars and the Real Girl
Lars and the Real Girl
Lars and the Real Girl is a 2007 American-Canadian comedy-drama film written by Nancy Oliver and directed by Craig Gillespie. It stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner and Patricia Clarkson...
, (2007)
-Waltz with Bashir
Waltz with Bashir
Waltz with Bashir is a 2008 Israeli animated documentary film written and directed by Ari Folman. It depicts Folman in search of his lost memories from the 1982 Lebanon War....
, (2008)
-Milk
Milk (film)
Milk is a 2008 American biographical film on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
, (2008)