Media for social change

'Life in the Open Prison' is a short documentary produced by 11 students from St-George's High School in Montreal, Quebec. Created in association with the Life Stories project, the film features the reflections of survivors of the Cambodian Genocide.

The film will be presented at the following event in late October:

MONTREAL – Life in the Open Prison

WHEN: Mon. Oct. 26th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
WHERE: Cinémathèque québécoise, 335 boulevard de Maisonneuve Est, salle Claude-Jutra, Métro Berri-UQAM

Student documentary film, 33 min., Canada, 2009
Subtitled in English

Using life story interviews to understand more about the Cambodian genocide, students at St. George’s High School explore what it takes to overcome extreme circumstances. In this documentary film, survivors describe their experiences as meaningful opportunities to transform suffering into “diamonds”, illustrating not only the impacts of war, but the awesome resilience of the human spirit. The final result: “Life in the Open Prison: Survival Stories from Two of the Millions. Cambodia 1975-1979”.

Followed by a discussion with teacher Megan Webster, students, Elie Dawang, Holocaust survivor who volunteered in Phnom Penh, and Stacey Zembrzycki, Life Stories Project of Montrealers Displaced by War, Genocide, and other Human Rights Violations. Moderated by Ry Duong, coordinator of the Life Stories Project Cambodian Working Group.

For more, visit the Displace by War, Violence and Genocide: Life Stories dossier.

This event is a partnership between: Parole citoyenne, CitizenShift, the Life Stories Project of Montrealers Displaced by War, Genocide, and other Human Rights Violations and The Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre.