Human Rights Film Festival provokes lively debate

Series continues at Princeton Public Library.

By: Rachel Silverman
   Is access to water a fundamental human right? Or is it a commodity that can be bought and sold by private entities?
   After viewing "Thirst," a documentary film that confronts this dilemma, Princeton residents and students spent nearly an hour Thursday afternoon debating this ethical and economic question.
   "I think the government has a responsibility to its citizens," said Lauren Deal, a senior at The Lawrenceville School.
   "You have to wonder where the line is between what the government can decide for you, and what you have the right to decide," Lawrenceville junior Rita Kanagat said.
   "A customer and a citizen have different rights," Lawrenceville senior Salina Bakshi pointed out. "As a customer, you’re concerned with economics and benefits."
   This back-and-forth debate — and the film that provoked it — were part of the Princeton Public Library’s Human Rights Film Festival, which kicked off Thursday afternoon.
   The festival, which will continue until Sunday afternoon, includes the viewing of some 15 documentary works. Spanning a diverse range of topics such as police brutality, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and land mines, it seeks to touch on a number of critical peace, justice and human rights issues.
   "We wanted to get at seeing the use of a documentary film as text in terms of looking at an issue or looking at history," said Teen Librarian Susan Conlon, one of the event’s co-organizers.
   "’Thirst’ is about the privatization of water and the impacts that has on people," Ms. Conlon said, citing an example of the moral issues at play. "The film has a global scope to it," she said, referring to the connections made between India, Bolivia and California.
   In addition to illustrating such thematic elements, the film festival aims to showcase the creative nature of documentary film-making.
   "These films have an excellent production value," Ms. Conlon said. "To us, that was extremely important, the quality of the film."
   The festival, which is free and open to the public, also benefits from having the library as a screening site.
   "Being able to see it in a community context, where you can have discussion, is extremely unique," said Children’s Librarian Pamela Groves, who also helped organize the event. "The library is the perfect venue for that."
   The four-day event also includes a variety of speakers, as several of the filmmakers and their subjects are scheduled to make guest appearances.
   For example, Saturday’s viewing of "The Corporation," a film that delves into the rise of multinational businesses, will be followed with remarks by National Workrights Institute President Lewis L. Maltby. Similarly, the film "Strange Fruit," which traces the evolution of the poignant tune made famous by Billie Holiday, will be coupled with an appearance by Princeton Theological Seminary Professor Mark Taylor on Sunday afternoon.
   Other notable films include today’s 4:30 p.m. viewing of "State of Denial," a piece that looks at the spread of AIDS in South Africa, and the 11 a.m. Saturday showing of "Ryan’s Well," which tells the story of a 7-year-old boy who helps provide clean drinking water to impoverished African villages.
   The festival is a collaborative effort among the library, Global Cinema Café, ABC Literacy and the local chapter of Amnesty International.
   
More information and a complete film listing is available at www.princetonlibrary.org/phrff, or call (609) 924-9529, ext. 241.