26 October: Fourth Pacific Human Rights Film Festival

As part of PROTEGE’s social and environmental responsibility (SER) action blueprint, the project is supporting, along with other partners, the Fourth Pacific Human Rights Film Festival. Usually held in Fiji, the Festival is taking place for the first time in New Caledonia this Saturday, 26 October at the FOL in Noumea with free screenings of four films on that topic.

This annual festival aims to raise people’s awareness of human rights issues and create safe spaces for discussion around these issues. It also inspires Pacific filmmakers to create more human rights content.

This activity is being carried out in partnership with the New Caledonian cultural association “Le Chapito”, which is in charge of organising the events at the Fédération des œuvres Laïques de Nouvelle-Calédonie (FOL) .

Programme for Saturday, 26 October:

Session at 11 a.m. – 30 min.

The Alexander Ball
An observational documentary celebrating Samoan-Maori-Australian trans woman of colour, Ella Ganza, and the Meanjin ballroom scene, as she and her ballroom family prepare for one of the biggest pride events of the year: The Alexander Ball. Join us and our panel of LGBTQ+ MVPFAFF+ community representatives from across the Pacific to talk about rights and awareness.

Session at 12:30 p.m. -10 minutes

Mana over meth
Jessica Apanui’s methamphetamine addiction began as an escape from the trauma of a violent childhood. But after years of chronic abuse, she made the decision to break the cycle for her own tamariki.

Now Jess must look deep into her past and embrace the power of Māoritanga to help guide her future.

Session at 1:30 p.m. - 87 minutes

Pacific Mother
A beautiful, poignant and spectacular film that explores the importance of community, reclaiming traditional birthing knowledge and the connection between caring for the planet and maturing both parents and their children in New Zealand, Japan, the Cook Islands, Tahiti, and Hawaii.

Session at 4:00 p.m. - 45 minutes

Protecting Paradise: The Story of Niue
A story of hope from the Pacific as a team of scientists, policy experts, and filmmakers returns to Niue as part of the Pristine Seas project to study how a new marine reserve is helping safeguard ocean resources for generations to come. Join us for this spectacular new film with magnificent images and heartfelt accounts.

This year, the Festival is being organised by the Pacific Community (SPC), University of the South Pacific (USP), New Zealand High Commission in Fiji and United Nations Office for Human Rights (UN UNHCR) in Fiji.

The Festival is also supported by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT); French Embassies in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu; Fiji Airways; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT); Save the Children; Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA); European Union; and the Government of New Caledonia.

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