April 27 – May 4, 2009 Bozar, Czech Permanent Representation, Berlaymont One World is today the largest and most important human rights film festival in Europe and is firmly established as one of premier cultural and media events in the Czech Republic. One World presents 123 films from all around the globe and seeks to promote the best quality documentary filmmaking on social and political issues. In 2007 One World was awarded UNESCO special mention for its contribution to human rights and peace education. The festival forms part of official accompanying activities of the Czech Presidency in the Council of the EU in Brussels. It opens on April 27 in Bozar (www.bozar.be) and ends on May 1 at the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU. The films will be shown at Bozar, the Permanent Representation (www.czechrep.be), the Berlaymont building of the European Commission in Brussels and the Residence Palace by the EU Council.

The opening film at the One World festival at Bozar will be Burma VJ - Reporting from a Closed Country whose protagonist, a young Burmese reporter, is called Joshua. Together with some colleagues from the exiled Democratic Voice of Burma TV station, he decided to make a detailed record of anti-government demonstrations in September 2007 and their subsequent brutal suppression. Footage of the dramatic events from the cameras of these reporters appeared in the news bulletins of all important global media outlets and for a time it was the only way in which the world could find out about the actual situation in Burma. Using the detailed evidence, provided by the work of Joshua and his colleagues (who risked their lives to do it) this film illustrates the indisputable importance of independent media in the fight against totalitarian power.

This year, we decided to reflect on the global challenges facing today’s world. Although we have excellent films about Burma, Iran, Kashmir, Darfur, Ecuador, Venezuela, Congo and North Korea, this year’s festival is not about particular issues. The supporting themes for this year’s event are water, oil, gas, the energy industry, global warming, the economy and the financial crisis.

The thematic category 20 Years of Democracy in Film recounts the last 20 years since the fall of communism in Central Europe, as they have been recorded by renowned documentary-makers and young filmmakers. We shall be presenting films that reflect in an original way upon the important challenges, successes and failures that accompanied this period of transformation. This programme will also be available on the Internet, where discussion forum will be set up with a view to inspiring a wider debate on these topics. Please find more information on the Brussels programming bellow. More information will be published soon.

OPENING FILM: Burma VJ-Reporting from a Closed Country – 20:00, www.bozar.be
DEMOCRACY IN CENTRAL EUROPE: Paper Heads, The Power of the Powerless
DISSIDENTS: We, In the Holy Fire of Revolution
IMAGES OF AFRICA: Far From the Villages, Syntoniser Amani
INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE: The Reckoning
AFGHANISTAN: Kites
LATIN-AMERICA: Bagatelle, Oblivion
MEDIA: Reporter
MIGRATION, ASYLUM SEEKERS: Barcelona or Die
NORTH KOREA: Yodok Stories