Human Rights 

"Bangladesh: An Appear for Solidarity"

An urgent appeal to students to keep university production in Bangladesh. In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11 and the growing recession in the United States, 700 to 1000 garment factories in Bangladesh have been shut down throwing hundreds of thousands of young women workers onto the street without severance pay, without savings, without unemployment insurance, and with no safety net whatsoever. These women and their families face desperate conditions. Many of these young workers sewed garments for U.S. universities. For years, they were forced to work 12 to 14 hours a day (and sometimes even 20 hours), seven days a week, for below-subsistence wages of 13 to 18 cents an hour. When these workers tried to defend their most basic rights they were fired and blacklisted. Now these workers need our solidarity. (2001/ 8 minutes)

"Beyond the Gates" DVD

 Based on true events during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 an exhausted Catholic priest (John Hurt) and a young idealistic English teacher (Hugh Dancy) find themselves caught in a literal and spiritual crisis. They have to choose whether to stay with the thousands of Tutsis about to be massacred or to flee for safety. (2005/ 112 Minutes/ Eng-Fr-Sp Subtitles)

"Gaza Under Siege"

The Gaza Strip is home to a million Palestinians - most of whom are refugees whose parents and grandparents moved there in 1948 after the state of Israel was formed. Since the second Palestinian uprising began in 2000, Gaza is a virtual prison. Thousands of people who once traveled to work in Israeli industries are now shut out, unable to work and provide for their families. This video asks why the United Nations shies away from its responsibilities and fails to criticize Israel’s aggression and the denial of Palestinians’ rights - rights laid down in UN resolutions but ignored by Israel. (28 minutes)

“Hotel Rwanda”  DVD     

“In Search of International Justice”  DVD     

There is a crucial new focus on the International Rule of Law - to bring war criminals everywhere to justice.  It's an extremely important and positive development for this new century, which has already seen so much go wrong.  This film visits Kosovo, Northern Uganda, Rwanda, Darfur and Iraq, charting a path to International Justice.  It also looks at the fact that the United States, the world's remaining superpower opposes the new court.  (66 minutes)

“Invisible Children” DVD     

Look Beneath the Surface: Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking in the U.S. (DVD)

As part of the “Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking” awareness campaign, the U.S. Department of health and Human services (HHS) has provided this informational video on human trafficking and how to identify and assist victims (English and Spanish).

“Seoul Train” DVD   

An emotionally wrenching look at an heroic Underground Railroad, an international band of activists who risk their own lives to lead North Korean refugees out of China and into countries that will give them asylum. The film spotlights a harrowing and potentially explosive human rights crisis where, in the absence of news coverage and international humanitarian aid, a small group works to make a big difference. (2004/ 85 minutes/ Iron Weed Film Club)

"Sudan: Remembering, Responding and Rebuilding" 

Catholic Relief Services reminds us that the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan continues to deteriorate in the face of waning international attention to the crisis. People are enduring targeted attacks, vast insecurity, as well as widespread hunger and disease. The humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of western Sudan continues to deteriorate in the face of waning international attention to the crisis. People are enduring targeted attacks, vast insecurity, as well as widespread hunger and disease.

"Uganda Rising" 

For two decades, the Acholi people of Northern Uganda have been caught in a civil war between a rebel group whose main objective is inhumane terror and a government whose military response has often increased misery and suffering. Over 1.5 million people have been displaced into camps and over 25,000 children have been abducted to be used as soldiers and sex slaves. Yet through it all, these children remain an unstoppable testimony to the power of resilience and hope. (82 minutes)

"War Dance" DVD

Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine's War Dance is a powerful documentary that follows a group of schoolchildren as they overcome nearly insurmountable odds in their quest to participate in the annual Kampala Music Festival. For over 20 years Northern Uganda has been a war zone and as a vicious rebel force the Lord's Resistance Army has run rampant destroying villages kidnapping children and murdering parents. The 60000 survivors are forced to live in a refugee camp where conditions are bleak and resources are scarce. Somehow the children of the Patongo Primary School have qualified for the Kampala Music Festival competition for the first time a feat unto itself; yet these children are determined to take home the championship prize. Along the way we meet three of these innocent and tender victims: Dominic who escapes the brutal memories of his past as a member of the L.R.A. by playing the xylophone; Rose a shy singer who still suffers from memories of having witnessed her parents' slaughter by the rebels; and Nancy a dancer whose aunt doesn't want her to go to the festival because she needs to take care of her three siblings. In a situation that appears to be anything but glamorous Sean Fine's gorgeous cinematography provides a much-needed respite flooding the screen with images of beauty reflecting the hopeful minds of these determined children. As they make their way to Kampala to perform in front of an audience that doesn't think much of them they must band together to prove that war and famine and slaughter cannot suffocate their spirit. War Dance is a truly inspiring work of nonfiction that deserves to be seen by viewers all over the world. (2007/ 107 minutes)