By Debra Sears  

CHAMPIONS of social justice, and the groundbreaking work of courageous missionaries, will be celebrated  January 28 – 30 at the Missions Fest Vancouver Film Festival.

Two films will make reference to Martin Luther King and the non-violent approach for which he was renowned.  

Ethnographic Media’s Little Town of Bethlehem , directed by award-winning  filmmaker Jim Hanon ( The Grandfathers), takes viewers to the troubled Middle East. The film follows a Palestinian Muslim, a Palestinian Christian and a Jew in their courageous struggle for a non-violent solution to the crisis that has torn Palestinians and Israelis apart.  

King’s legacy will also be reflected in Myra Ottewell’s Mississippi Remixed, which takes a fresh look at race relations in America’s southern states.  

Both filmmakers will be present for post-screening talkbacks with the audience.  

The pioneering spirit of other 20th century greats is celebrated in two films.

Yuan Zhiming’s The Cross: Jesus in China – Seeds of Blood  outlines the history of Chinese missionaries following the Boxer Rebellion and explores why, despite  communist control, the number of Chinese Christians increased from 700,000 in 1949 to approximately 70  million today.  

World Vision founder Bob Pierce believed in the power of film to touch hearts and impact lives as nothing else could. Beginning with The 38th Parallel, he shot and produced nine groundbreaking films between 1950 and 1965  – all revealing the divinely inspired evolution of World Vision’s ministry.  

In 1952, Pierce co-directed The Flame – a narrative/documentary blend utilizing footage Pierce had shot in Korea.  

“My father had no way of knowing what God would do with [his films]. He simply took it a step at a time, faithfully sharing the gospel,  showing the need, and challenging Christians to live out their faith. He trusted God to do the rest           . . . and He did!” stated Marilee Pierce Dunker, one of the keynote speakers featured at Missions Fest 2011.  

Following the screening of The Flame , she will be present to speak about her father’s filmmaking and to answer questions.  

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The main film festival programming is rounded out by three films that tackle the challenging topics of  contemporary persecution and enslavement.  

Opening night features the world premiere of Chris Atkins’  Freedom Fighter. The film follows the story of Egyptian Majed El Shafie. Sentenced to death because of his faith, he survived severe  torture – eventually escaping to this country. He now fights to help those  facing a similar fate, in dangerous countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.

India’s Forgotten Women, by Michael Lawson, explores issues affecting the 250 million strong Dalit community, including domestic violence, dowry crime, sex selective abortion, female infanticide, bonded labour, rape, temple prostitution and human trafficking.

Closer to home, Hope for the Sold presents Enslaved and Exploited. Subtitled The Story of Sex Trafficking in Canada, the film offers candid interviews with victims and agency representatives – as well as Ratanak International’s Brian McConaghy, and crusading W5 journalist Victor Malarek. McConaghy will be present for audience Q&A following the screening.  

Many of the themes covered in the feature-length documentaries are also treated in award-winning shorter films, including: Desert Ark, the 2010 Best Documentary winner at the 168 Film Festival; Old Radicals, which was honoured with three awards at Toronto’s 2010 Hot Docs festival; and Kavi, which received the Gold Medal for best short narrative at the 2009 Student  Academy Awards.

The film festival concludes with a collection of short pieces focusing on local and  international mission and relief work, mostly produced by Lower Mainland filmmakers – who will be present for talkbacks following each film.  

It should be noted that some films do contain scenes of the effects of violence in war-torn countries, as well as other content which may not be suitable for all audiences.

The event also includes four seminars. Writer Marnie Wooding will offer ‘What is a Good Story?’ and  ‘The Stories We Tell.’ Actor and producer Shannon Braithwaite will moderate a panel of filmmakers on the topic ‘Putting it  All Together: From Funding to Filming to Distribution’; and there will be a workshop  entitled ‘I Am Filmmaker,’ facilitated by Phil Hood and Greg Meeres.

The film festival will be held in Rooms 1 – 3, level 2 at the Vancouver  Convention Centre, 999 Canada Place.

Weekend passes are $10, and single screenings are $3.

Contact:  604.524.9944  or missionsfestvancouver.ca/Film.cfm

January 2011