Iran is known as one of the worst perpetrators of human rights violations, especially against its female population. On March 8th — on the International Women’s Day — the UN decided to name it on its Commission for the Status of Women’s Rights. This video explained why they should have never been appointed on the Commission.
Category : Blogroll
Maybe you have heard of Korsakow (pronounced ‘KOR-SA-KOV’): “Yeah, you know, Korsakow is a principle, a logic, with its own rules and structure,” … these are the words of the person behind Korsakow, Florian Thalhofer. What is it? Where to start! ::: On-line software for making films (aka k-films). Non-linear. Database. Narrative. Interactive. Open-source. Still trying to wrap my mind around it, as i write. You can download the tools on-line and everything is pretty much laid out for you, and there seems to be quite a movement behind it. documentary. fiction. experimental… there is a symposium looking for entries in Montreal: DlNlA. Florian Thalhofer made this as a reaction to the constraints of linear filmmaking. It’s intersting: If you have material that you shot at some point, and could never quite get it edited or never used, this might be the perfect way to bring it alive. Really though, you just have to see it to understand what these letters are trying to say… here >> here >> and here.
Category : Blogroll
festival + women + media art+ digital culture
HTMlles is a festival dedicated to women and digital art. That is: “HTMlles Festival is an international platform dedicated to the presentation of women’s independent media artworks from all facets of contemporary technological creation”. The festival was held this past November in Montreal for its ninth year, and was branded with this theme: (home)(/land).
What i found really interesting is the different ways people are using new media and the internet to make art. Check out Skawennati Tricia Fragnito, an artist who presented work that was built through online gaming and virtual environments. Here is one of the projects she is working on: AbTeC (Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace).
Although the festival is over, you can still take a look at some of the work that was presented, on line, including video archives of some of the artist talks and conferences. The festival brings together established artists along with some awesome new talent. In conjunction with the NFB and StudioXX, HTMlles also presented First Person Digital, “a training and production program for women exploring new approaches to storytelling through multimedia.” The results of this program were shown at the festival, where artists each spoke about their final work and attendants got a first look. Here are just a few of some of the works from First Person Digital, all worth checking out.
Kahnawake voices by Courtney Montour
It’s Chinese To Me by Ellen Tang
Ota nda yanaan - We Are here by Michelle Smith
Crankytown by Vanessa Matsui & Liane Balaban
To view the video archives of the HTMlles Fesitval artist talks and discussions, go –> here
Category : Blogroll
Starting Thursday November 25th, in downtown Montreal, will be what looks like the final edition of État d’Urgence. This festive activity is intended to bring the general public together with the homeless. This year they propose a satirical all-inlcusive theme, you even get an all-inclusive bracelet. The activities aim to question the phenomena of normalization, delegated control, institutionalized convenience, and the instant, all-you-want mindset.
État d’Urgence 2010 also has a whole slew of socially committed artists from the local, national and international scene who will provide content that is exciting, dynamic, thought-provoking and always free of charge, in a variety of disciplines: visual arts, performance arts, dance, theatre, circus, music, storytelling and spoken word. There will also be a cinematic component courtesy of Cinema Politica, at the National Film Board as well as under the stars!
This year, as part of the ALL-INCLUSIVE experience, ÉU will reserve an even more lavish reception for homeless clients, who are the events VIPs. The city’s top chefs will once again step up to the plate, including Martin Picard and his famous Banquet Cochon. Everyone is invited!
Events from the 25th of November through to the 28th of November 2010.
http://www.vimeo.com/16936586 Category : Blogroll
Not to be missed ::: This 20min documentary is an introduction to the issue of shadeism, the discrimination that exists between the lighter-skinned and darker-skinned members of the same community. This documentary short looks specifically at how it affects young womyn within the African, Caribbean, and South Asian diasporas. Overall, ‘Shadeism’ explores where shadeism comes from, how it directly affects us as womyn of colour, and ultimately, begins to explore how we can move forward through dialogue and discussion ::: (description taken from film’s authors, http://vimeo.com/16210769)
This film will be playing along with other shorts, this Wednesday Nov. 3, at the opening night gala of The Regent Park Film Festival, followed by a youth panel discussion! If you are in Toronto, be there!
http://www.vimeo.com/16210769 Category : Blogroll
You Don’t Like The Truth…is the title of a new film by Luc Côté and Patricio Henriquez. Using recently declassified footage of Omar Khadr’s 4 day interrogation by canadian agents. A large part of the film is low quality images taken from 3 security cameras :: here is a sample :: The film is backed with excellent interviews with co-detainees of Omar and also one of his interrogators. Rightly disturbing. the film opens in theatres late October.
The title of the film is a taken from one of Omar’s responses to the canadian agents repeated attempts to get him to admit that he participated in the murder of a US soldier/medic. To this day Omar refuses to comply with the assertion of his guilt. Will the distribution of this film help change things for Omar Khadr?
Here is a link to a poem by Fortner Anderson about the detention of Omar
Here is an interview with the filmmakers in French
Also of note on the subject of truth, tonight October 15th on CBC at 9pm: Enemies of the State
Category : Blogroll
Interested in conserving environmental resources, supporting local communities and protecting endangered species while you enjoy a relaxing vacation? The Rainforest Alliance has recently launched a revolutionary website for environmentally conscious travellers to plan sustainable vacations: Sustainabletrip.org. This travel website allows you to select from a database of eco-friendly hotels, restaurants, tour operators and travel agents, that have all been certifiedby a third-party sustainable tourism certification program, and then approved by the Rainforest Alliance. Each travel location has been chosen for it`s exceptional effort to support sustainability through means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving the livelihood of communities and wildlife protection programs. Check out this article for more information.
Category : Blogroll
Tags: environment, rainforest alliance, sustainable, sustainabletrip.org, travel, wildlife protection
From October 9th to the 16th, local farm tours, workshops on pickling and a nation-wide recipe contest will be just some of the events that held at this years canadian Organic Week. With the ever growing interest for anything organic, this event celebrates the growing number of ecologically minded consumers and growers and the new national Organic Products Regulations. And if this doesnt get you excited, there will be organic beer and complete organic meals to try! Whether you are a consumer, producer or just a organic enthusiast, being aware of the benefits of organic food should be available to all.
On the side note, this event relates to an upcoming dossier which will focus sustainable farming and food production. With Diversidad, Sustainable Concordia and Farm Radio International involved, this dossier will focus on events and issues that as a food consumer we might want to know.
Category : Blogroll, Seeking Submissions
This event is “an unconference for podcasting and social media enthusiasts and specialists”. MediaCamp will be taking place on Friday, September 10th, while PodCamp will be held on September 11th-September 12th. Follow PodCamp on Twitter and Facebook for more updates.
Category : Blogroll
There seems to be more than a little interest here in Canada to launch a news station similar to the FOX News channel in the US, aka Fox News North . There are a few articles out there in the mainstream media touching upon the subject: CBC and Globe And Mail. here is an article on Rabble.ca. Would you personally find this worrisome? Avaaz has started an online petition to support the Chairman of CRTC Konrad von Finckenstein. OpenMedia.ca has also launched a campaign to encourage the public to intervene. Finckenstein himself responded to one of the articles, downplaying the tone; see his response here. Is this going anywhere? Do you already see a similarity between our current mainstream media and that of our neighbour’s? Let us know your thoughts!
Category : Blogroll
Updates from the basement, courtesy of the CITIZENShift team.
Andrea is a Communication Studies student at Concordia University in Montreal. She has a background in photography and visual arts, and is interested in web-media as a tool for social change.
Currently living in Somoto, Madriz, Nicaragua. I work with children victims of child labour or at risk in the nearby town of Totogalpa, mainly helping out with photography workshops. I also participate in the development and promotion of sustainable community tourism.
Eve B. St-CyrMontrealer in her mid-twenties. Freelance journalist and photographer, with an interest in human rights and sustainable living. Has a cheerful disposition.
Genevieve is a second year Communications Studies student at Concordia University. She is interested in graphic design, photography and fashion. Genevieve also enjoys creating social media and riding the slopes whenever she gets the chance.
KathleenKathleen Jayme is a film production student at the University of British Columbia and is currently interning at CITIZENShift in Vancouver.
Laura GlowackiFrom Winnipeg, I now live and study in Montreal. I really, really like sci fi television and tobaggonning. I intern here at CitizenShift.
ryanRyan Spence is a Montreal based filmmaker/editor working primarily in documentary and independent fiction.
timTim McSorley is CITIZENShift's podcast coordinator and freelance journalist. He's also a contributor to CKUT radio and The Dominion newspaper.
TyneshaTynesha is CITIZENShift's summer intern from Concordia University's Communication department (Mtl., QC). Brimming with interests, she states "I enjoy school, I sing in a choir and I am also involved in community radio and volunteer work with youth. In the future, I look forward to developing a company that merges my three great passions in sound, community engagement, and music."
widgeDavid Widgington was the event coordinator for the Citizen Media Rendez-vous 2010 (http://citizen-media.ca). He is a mobile journalist (MoJo) who is well-versed in community radio, video and print and web-based media practices. He has a particular interest these days with diaspora communities returning to Southern Sudan since the end of the war. He is script-writing a documentary project on the subject. (http://southsudaninfo.net).
