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Highlights and Screening Times
see FILMS and THEMES and GUESTS for more information

Wednesday 3rd February
The opening day

Oslo is the home of Democratic Voice of Burma - and our festival opens with the award winning and Oscar Nominated film Burma VJ. The film is currently on a shortlist for Oscar nominations - on February 2nd we will find out if it has been nominated (2nd Feb- it has, it has- come and see why!), and the day after we will screen it, with guests from DVB.

Maina Kiai is perhaps the most well-known opposition human rights advocate in Kenya. After years as a top lawyer, he has recently decided films are more effective at communicating justice. Catch his film about post-election violence, Getting Justice - Kenya's Deadly Game of Wait and See, for once made in Kenya about Kenya, about how to get satisfactory resolution for victims so the country can move on. He will be with us throughout the festival.

Iceland is a country that has been through tough times. But who's fault is that? What role has big business played in buying up the country and treating it as a place to exploit for profit? Andri Snær Magnusen wrote the best seller - Dreamland – a Self Help Manual for a Frightened Nation and has now co-directed a stunning film. Be amongst the first to see Dreamland in Norway and discuss this implications for the rights of the people on Iceland and possible lessons for other nations.

We have heard reports in the media about the massive scale of rape in the Eastern DR Congo, but not why the men do it or why they think they can get away with it. Intended Consequences is one of the most powerful short films we have seen about the victims, and Weapon of War is a unique piece of film in that we hear the men speak out - why, oh why, do they do it? Two films not to miss.

The Wednesday Programme:

1400 Burma VJ, with short introduction by guests Khin Maung Win and Torstein Nybø
1530 Debate - Burma: After the Evidence - What Next? with guests Khin Maung Win (Democratic Voice of Burma), Peter Gitmark (Politician, Member of the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defence) and John Peder Egenæs (Amnesty), led by Erling Borgen (Filmmaker and Journalist).
1630 Getting Justice - Kenya's Deadly Game of Wait and See
1730 Opening Maina Kaia (Kenyan High Court Lawyer engaged in human rights and filmmaking), and Lucy Hannan (Porducer and journalist),
1800 Opening - Opening comments by Erling Borgen, Human Rights House, Oslo Dokumentarkino
1830 Dreamland
2015 Intended Consequences, with guest Mari Holmboe Ruge (Forum Norge 1325)
2030 Weapon of War
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Thursday 4th February
Theme of the Day: MIGRATION AND HUMAN WRONGS

The films and discussions this day look at the journeys migrants endure to try and improve their lives in a new country. The way they are treated and the policies on how to deal with them are far from right. There will be two debates - one at Fafo and one at Parkteatret - both entitled The new public enemy or victims of the state? Migrants in contemporary European politics and the media. You are welcome to either: the first one might be slightly deeper, more academic, analysis. Participants are Paul Kenyon (see under), Laura Agustin (writer), Jørgen Carling (PRIO) and the event will be led by Cecilie Øien (Fafo).

Sturla Stålsett from Kirkens Bymisjon will be introducing the film from the inside of an asylum centre in Switzerland - unique and enlightening footage showing what goes on inside these institutions - and then joining the debate at Parkteatret about the rights of migrants in Europe today.

Paul Kenyon from BBC Panorama will be joining us to tell of his first hand experiences following migrants across Africa, the collaboration between Libya and Italy, as well as the attitudes in the UK. His film Europe or Die Trying will be followed by the debate described above.

Later in the evening come and see Malta Radio - a film to make you shake your head and sigh at what happens not only to migrants close to death, but those that try to help them. An emotional real-live thriller. Director Manuel Menchón will be with us to talk about the film and the issues it raises.

The Thursday Programme:

1300 Long Distance Love, with guest Ivar Dale (responsible for Central Asia at the NHC)
1500 The Fortress with guest Sturla Stålsett (Kirkens Bymisjon)
1500 Debate -The new public enemy or victims of the state? Migrants in contemporary European politics and the media (NB this debate is at FAFO, Borgate 2b) with guests Paul Kenyon (BBC), Jørgen Carling (PRIO), Laura Agustín (Writer) and Cecilie Øien (Fafo)
1700 Europe or Die Trying, with guest Paul Kenyon, (BBC Panorama)
1800 Kingsley's Crossing
1820 Debate -The new public enemy or victims of the state? Migrants in contemporary European politics and the media with guests Paul Kenyon (BBC), Jørgen Carling (PRIO), Laura Agustín (Writer), Sturla Stålsett (Kirkens Bymisjon) and Cecilie Øien (Fafo)
1930 Malta Radio with Manuel Manchón (Director)
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Friday 5th February
Theme of the Day: WORLDS WITHOUT WITNESSES

Secret worlds exist where terrible things are happening - do we know about them? and how can one make a good film without access? Burma VJ on the opening day is a good example of how this is very possible. Other highlights from our selected films include:

Chechnya's Missing Women - a brand new BBC short film about women living in Chechnya. Young women are regulalry abducted, disappeared and killed. Anyone who speaks out about it risk their lives in doing so. Including interviews with Natalia Estimerova - who worked for Memorial, and who was murdered three weeks after appearing in this film. This film will be screened as part of a lunch time seminar - an hour of talk and film to gain insight into this disturbing world beyond our television screens.

City of the Roma addresses perhaps the most discriminated against group in Europe - close to home, yet hidden behind walls and living on the margins of society. Ole Benny Lilleås will give context to this film about how one such community tries to prove they can adapt, given some degree of understanding.

Gaza One Year On has been a headline in some newspapers- but what really happened there one year ago. To Shoot an Elephant is the film to join the text messages and news clips of Erik Fosse and Mads Gilbert from inside the war zone. Shot by some of the very few non-Palestinians to remain there, this is a raw and unsettling film that gets close to showing us how it really was.

And finally a film from one of the most under-reported countries of all - Western Sahara. The Problem- Testimony of the Saharawi People is screening for the very first time in the world, telling the story those in powerMorroco do not want the world to see. Ronny Hansen has been to, and been thrown out of, this country. Come and hear him tell more about what is going on behind teh 3000km wall.

The Agronomist is a fantastic film about Haiti. But despite all our best efforts we can't get the rights cleared in time to screen it. So the 1315 screening will be a suprise - announced on Friday morning.

The Friday Programme:

1200 Lunchtime seminar Chechnya's Missing Women with guests Inna Sangadzhiyeva (specialist of Russian elitism at NHC), and Ane Tusvik Bonde (NHC)
1315 The Agronomist (cancelled) Surprise film will screen.
1530 City of the Roma with guest Ole Benny Lilleås (responsible for Western Balkans activities at NHC)
1730 To Shoot an Elephant
2000 The Problem - Testimony of the Saharawi People with guest Ronny Hansen (President of the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara), in conversation with Niels Jacob Harbitz (Human Rights House Foundation)
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Saturday 6th February
Theme of the Day: IMPUNITY VS JUSTICE - THE CHALLENGE OF RIGHTING WRONGS

Some people get away with it, how come? How can recovery ever take place if no justice is seen to be done? In recent years there have been some major moves in trying to prosecute human rights violators - from state leaders to individuals. The films that have followed these processes are some of the most compelling around.

The debate The Right Kind of Justice? looks at what is needed to allow communities and individuals to reconcile a past of serious human rights abuses so that they can build a future in a peaceful way. Nora Sveeaas is Norway's member on the UN Torture Committee and is an inspiring speaker on the psychological effects of such crimes. She will be talking with Maina Kiai (Kenyan advocate) and Gunnar Ekeløve Slydal (involved in establishment of the International Criminal Court) about the roles of different justice systems, from courts to dialogue, in the challenge of righting wrongs.

Guantanamo - a word that in Feb 2010 should no longer be associated with a prison, but which is still causing massive problems, and no surprise when one delves into the stories of the prisoners. Andy Worthington is perhaps the most respected author on the subject, and now his film with Polly Nash lets us hear from the prisoners and the lawyers. Ståle Eskeland and Erling Borgen will be connecting this to Norway's role through Aker Kværner and through its attitude to receiving prisoners, to understand more about the rights and wrongs of what happened outside of the law.

My Neighbor My Killer is a film based on ten years of following the process of the Gacaca courts - local outdoor courts with the aim of finding a way to reconcile the atrocities carried out in Rwanda. 'How can I be expected to forgive?'

Enemies of the People has just (30th Jan 2010) won the Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Fesival and was nominated for best feature doumentary at IDFA (the most important doc film festival in Europe) and deservedly so. Thet Sambath painstakingly visited Brother nr 2 (Pol Pot was nr 1) every weekend for ten years, to try and understand the killings by the Khmer Rouge. He meets many others who were involved, and the Cambodian investigative journalist uncovers what no criminal court will ever be able to. Rob Lemkin travelled with Thet for the last three years of his project, and now travels to Oslo to join us - a unique chance to discuss this unique part of history.

The Saturday Programme:

1100 Getting Justice - Kenya's Deadly Game of Wait and See
1200 The Reckoning - the Battle for the International Criminal Court
1300 Debate - The Right Kind of Justice? with guests Maina Kiai (Kenyan High Court Lawyer engaged in Human Rights and filmmaking), Gunnar Ekeløve Slydal (participant in establishment of International Criminal Court, and NHC), Nora Sveaass (Member of UN Torture Committee). Chair: Niels Jacob Harbitz (Human Rights House Foundation)
1415 Outside the Law - Stories from Guantanamo, with guest Polly Nash (director).
1530 Debate Guilt at Guantanamo with guests Andy Worthington (author and director), Ståle Eskeland (Law Professor and author), Erling Borgen (journalist and author)
1700 My Neighbor My Killer
1845 Enemies of the People with guest Rob Lemkin (director)
2200 Balkan Beat Part
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Sunday 7th February
Theme of the Day: BIG BUSINESS - OUTSIDE THE LAW?

The first part of the day is a look at oil - from the Niger Delta (Delta - Oil's Dirty Business) and from Ecuador (Crude) . In both areas the local people have seen their environments devastated by oil extraction, and in both instances the cases are at last being taken up by the courts. Dramatic stories both of them, illuminated in different kinds of films, they represent some of the most important issues for oil-exploring nations today. Mark Taylor (Fafo) advises Al-Jazeera and Global Witness on these topics, and will be giving a comment between the films about the obstacles that lie in the way of making corporations legally accountable for the damage they have done.

Our closing debate is a look at accountability - are states and businesses able to get away with human rights abuses? We ask three different people their opinions, and openthe question to the audience for discussion. With Arjan Hamburger, the Netherlands Ambassador for Human Rights, Mads Gilbert, doctor and activist and Atle Høie, International Secretary Felles Forbundet.

The debate is followed by the film a Blooming Business - a 'quietly formidable film' from the rose industry in Kenya. And we finish the evening on a satirical note with the Yes Men trying to fix the world.

The Sunday Programme:

1300 Delta - Oil's Dirty Business
1400 Comment: Obstacles to Justice: Taking Big Business to Court by Mark Taylor (Fafo, advisor to Global Witness and Al-Jazeera)
1430 Crude - The Real Price of Oil
1700 Closing event and debate - Absent Accountability
A debate looking at how those in power seem to rise above any form of accountability, and get away with it:
Mads Gilbert (Doctor and activist) - 'Witnessing War Crimes - but who is accountable?'
Arjan Hamburger (Ambassador of Human Rights in the Netherlands) - ' Working with the likes of Shell on Human Rights'
Atle Høie (International Secretary, Fellesforbundet) - 'Workers rights - challenges and opportunities in a globalised economy".
and the film Rape of a Nation
Chaired by Sarah Prosser (Human Rights Human Wrongs)
1830 a Blooming Business introduced by Niels Jacob Harbitz (Human Rights House Foundation)
2000 Twenty Years Without Justice - The Bhopal Chemical Disaster
2015 The The Yes Men Fix the World
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Form your opinions
join the debate
and be part of the solution

Maina Kiai
Top advocate from Kenya, currently working with film and the resolution of crimes committed during post-election violence in 2008.

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The Fortress looks at human dilemmas in asylum centres and how we treat fellow human beings

Andy Worthington and Polly Nash will be talking about the inside of Guantanamo, and what was simply beyond the law

Rob Lemkin is coming to Oslo to share the incredible tale of Thet Sambath and his decade long project to understand the killings by the Khmer Rough leaders and their followers.