Cultures of Resistance

In November of 2007, Make Films Not War founder Iara Lee sat down to speak with Iran's first Nobel Peace Laureate, Shirin Ebadi, at the offices of her legal practice in Tehran. Ebadi is an activist for refugee rights, as well as those of women and children. Ebadi speaks eloquently on the tragedy of war, and its disastrous consequences for movements to protect human rights, women's rights, and the environment.

Based on the book by Michael T. Klare, defense correspondent for The Nation magazine, this new documentary corrects the historical record about the role of the dirty three-letter word in American politics and foreign policy.

War Child is the deftly crafted story of rising African hip-hop star Emmanuel Jal, who was conscripted in to the 20-year civil war in southern Sudan as a child.

Cultures of Resistance, along with like-minded collaborators around the globe, is producing an international traveling film festival to showcase the very best of narrative and documentary films from around the world that promote peace with justice and oppose war and those who wage them.

The CONFLICT ZONE FILM FUND awards seed funding to forward-thinking filmmakers – both new and established – who possess a provocative, artistic, and culturally significant vision. The fund supports narrative and documentary film projects that explore a range of themes and ideas, from peace and disarmament to human rights to arts and culture around the globe.

Published in 1980, Howard Zinn’s groundbreaking A People’s History of the United States recounts the nation’s history from the perspective of ordinary citizens: union organizers, slaves and abolitionists, suffragists and veterans, musicians and railway workers. Since its original publishing, the book has attracted millions of readers and has gone through numerous updates and incarnations, including several aimed at classroom teaching.

History is more than a mere succession of kings, politicians, and military conquests. It is a collective story made up of the myriad voices and experiences of people, even in remote corners of the world, whose lives are never recorded in the pages of textbooks. Since 2004, Cultures of Resistance has been supporting the National Geographic Society's All Roads Film Project, dedicated to amplifying the voices of indigenous artists and other minority filmmakers throughout the global South. The project aims to foster a global audience for these filmmakers by providing an array of seed grants and by hosting screenings and events. Through its international film festival and its funding, networking, and distribution opportunities, All Roads celebrates the stories that, while often unnoticed, in fact present a rich cultural tapestry.

All Roads aims to inspire underrepresented peoples to tell their own stories in their own voices. As director Yolanda Cruz recalls, “As a native person, I grew up watching films about native people made by others, and it seems like we were always the subjects of these exotic films… I didn’t see my family that way, so I wanted to have a different kind of representation for them.” Cruz’s 2501 Migrants: A Journey, which documents the impact of workers' emigration out of Oaxaca on the work of Mexican artist Alejandro Santiago, is scheduled to premiere in 2010.

Other films currently featured by All Roads include:

Niloofar, a film by Sabine El Gemayel, tells the story of a 12-year old girl who challenges her family and their cultural traditions in order to fulfill her dream of gaining an education.

Shadows, a documentary by Mary Ayubi, explores the complexities of the struggle for women’s liberation in Afghanistan.

Two Horses of Genghis Khan, a film by Byambasuren Davaa, follows the journey of folk singer Urna throughout Mongolia to recover the missing verses of an ancient song.

The All Roads Seed Grant Program provides annual funding to filmmakers toward the development and production of a feature film, documentary, short film, animation, or music video. Prior grant awardees include Melissa A. Henry (U.S.A) for Blue Heeler, A Navajo Sheep Dog, Dondrub Dorje (Tibet) for Stone Scripture, and Daniel Taye Workou (Ethiopia) for Gojam Lottery. All Roads' production arm ensures the continued development of independent films that promote cross-cultural dialogue.

For more information:

All Roads Film Screenings

All Roads Seed Grant Program