** Mariem Hassan: the voice of the Sahara **
- Film night on Western Sahara -
Presented by Melbourne Filmoteca: Latin American, Spanish &
Portuguese Film Group and the Australia Western Sahara Association.
When: Tuesday 30th March 2010 at 7.30pm
Where: Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), Federation
Square, Melbourne
Films to be screened:
* 'Mariem Hassan: the voice of the Sahara'
Dir Manuel Dominguez, 55 mins, Spain 2008. (Spanish & Hassaniya
Arabic with English subtitles).
Mariem Hassan is the voice of the Sahara - la voz de Sáhara - the voice of the desert.
Adored by Saharawis living in exile, she is an iconic figure for
those still living in the territories occupied by Morocco. Mariem is revealed as a courageous and enduring character who has become one of the most charismatic and respected singers of the world music scene. Mariem performed at Womadelaide in early March 2010.
* 'Children of the clouds'
Dir Carlos Gonzalez, 16 mins, USA/Spain 2008. (Spanish & Hassaniya Arabic with English subtitles). A short documentary about Morocco's campaign of repression against Saharawi school children and young people.
Q & A - discussion afterwards with Kamal Fadel from the POLISARIO Front
(Representative of Western Sahara to Australia) chaired by Lyn
Allison President of AWSA will follow the screenings.
Background:
From the late-1880s until the mid-1970s Spain laid claim to Western Sahara in North West Africa naming it Spanish Sahara (Sáhara Español). Saharawi resistance to Spanish colonial rule was strong. In May 1973 the Saharawi liberation movement the POLISARIO Front (Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y Rà o de Oro) was formed and Spain moved towards holding a referendum of self-determination in keeping with United Nations practice for decolonisation.
Before this took place the two neighbouring African countries invaded and a war ensued. On 27 February 1976 the Saharawi Republic was declared and POLISARIO formed a government-in- exile. It represents the Saharawi people in UN negotiations with Morocco (the occupying power) to resolve the sovereignty of Western Sahara.
Admission: 18+
Tickets: $14, $11 (concession) on sale at box office: (03) 8663 2583
or online at www.acmi.net.au/ticketing
Melbourne Filmoteca: www.melbournefilmoteca.org
Australia Western Sahara Association: www.awsa.org.au