Saturday, September 30, 2006

Call for Submissions - Prisoners Justice Film Festival

Call for Submissions - Prisoners Justice Film Festival

Toronto's Prisoners Justice Action Committee invites you to submit your film / video for possible screening in the third annual Prisoners Justice Film Festival, February 8th-11th 2007!

About the Film Festival

The first Toronto Prisoners Justice Film Festival was held in January of 2005 at Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto. The festival drew hundreds of community members, prison abolitionists, youths, activists, students, educators, artists, ex-prisoners, family members and allies from across Ontario. The festival featured film and video made by, for, and/or about prisoners and prisoners justice in Canada and Internationally.

In its short history the festival has become a place for people to come together to discuss the injustice that resides at the heart of our “justice” system. During the last 2 years we have featured films on a wide spectrum of issues including prison privatization, youth detention, First Nations Prisoners, immigrant and refugee detention, prison & health, and resistance. The festival includes panel discussions with film makers, people who have been in prison, family members and people working to change the prison system.

This year's Festival will build on the last one, and audiences will have the opportunity to join in discussions with guest film-makers and actors, attend activist panels with current and ex-prisoners, connect with community organizations at an info fair, and view exhibits of art by prisoners and families. Opportunities to network with other filmmakers, activists and others affected by the prison system will be available during the three day festival through panels and Q&A sessions.

We welcome submissions that explore all different aspects of prisons and their effects on people, families and communities. We are especially looking for films looking at: racial profiling and the criminalization of targeted communities, mental health behind bars / psychiatric prisons and issues facing women, aging prisoners, people with disabilities and transgendered / transsexual prisoners, First Nations issues, prison activism and abolition. We are especially interested in films made by, or in conjunction with people on the inside.

Entry requirements:

The deadline for submissions is October 13th, 2006. There is no fee to enter. The festival shows fiction and documentary features and shorts. We encourage submissions from prisoners, ex-prisoners, Native Women and Women of Colour and their families - those most adversely affected by the prison system. Please include your name, address, email address, and the following entry information: Film/Entry Title, Running Time, and a brief description of the film (200 words max). If you would like your submission returned please indicate that. Submissions that we keep are included as part of our growing prisoners justice film library which we use for educational work.

We can most easily deal with DVD/VHS format. If you have other formats which you would like to submit please get in touch with us.

Films should be sent to:

Prisoners Justice Film Festival
C/O Giselle Dias
PASAN
489 College Street
Suite 500
Toronto, ON M6G 1A5

For more info: HYPERLINK "mailto:pjac_committee@yahoo.com" pjac_committee@yahoo.com
If you plan to submit and can’t get it in by October 13th, please contact us and we can try to work something out.

About the Prisoners Justice Action Committee

The Prisoners Justice Action Committee believes that prisons do not make our communities safer or more secure. We believe that the prison industrial complex perpetuates violence and oppression, including racism, classism, sexism, colonialism, homophobia and ableism. PJAC works to end incarceration and detention and to create healthy communities built on social justice.

Visit our website: http://www.pjac.org

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