Chasing Asylum at Replants Fremantle

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Posted 2017-07-03 by groover ⇒ follow

Wed 05 Jul 2017

Due to popular demand, the recently-resurrected Amnesty International Australia – Fremantle Group is holding a special screening of Chasing Asylum on Wednesday, July 5, at Replants Fremantle.

The documentary aims to highlight the truth about offshore detention centres with Academy Award-winning documentary director Eva Orner telling the story of Australia's treatment of asylum seekers and refugees. At the same time, she examines the human, political, financial and moral impact of Australia's current and previous policies.

Eva moved to the US in 2004 and was aghast the so-called "Pacific solution" and offshore processing would still be Australian policy 12 years later. "Watching from afar, I felt a growing sense of horror," she said. "As an Australian, I was shocked that this was how our government had decided to treat desperate people. I watched with sadness as the hard-line policies continued.

"I cheered in New York when the Howard Government was defeated, Kevin Rudd was elected and offshore detention centres were closed. Then I reeled in horror when they were re-opened several years later by the same administration. As xenophobia in Australia increased, I saw elections being won over border protection issues as fear and panic replaced compassion and humanity."

It was in 2014 that Eva decided to act. Her motivation came after the United Nations accused Australia of breaking more than 150 Refugee Convention resolutions – and there were murders and riots at Australia's detention camps on Manus and Nauru Islands. She drew on her experience in producing the Oscar, Emmy and Peabody-winning Taxi To The Dark Side that explored how the Rule of Law and Geneva Convention were discarded at the height of the Bush administration.

"I felt the same kind of documentary approach was needed here in Australia," Eva said. "The government and the country must be held to account in a high profile, public way. Their harmful policies do not reflect the way a civilised democracy such as Australia should operate. I decided to raise the budget of the film privately because I felt an urgency to make it. I raised a little under 10 percent of the budget through crowdfunding and the rest of the budget was financed independently. "I was inspired and overwhelmed by the generosity and compassion of 1000 who donated as part of the crowdfund and a number of individuals and foundations who contributed. It made me believe that there are many Australians who believe our policies are wrong."

Chasing Asylum is a chance to learn more about the dangerous journeys people seeking asylum must endure while it allows poses the question: what would you do if the situation was reversed?

The Amnesty screening also features guest speaker Caroline Fleay, a Curtin University lecturer at the Centre for Human Rights Education . She conducts research into Australian policy and human rights, transnational activism and human rights, and the rights of people seeking asylum.

Chasing Asylum screens at 7pm, Wednesday, July 5, at Replants, 96 Wray Avenue, Fremantle. Tea and coffee provided. Tickets are $10 – book at eventbrite.com.au .