The Marda Loop Justice Film Festival goes digital
By Mackenzie Mason, Arts Editor
The Marda Loop Justice Film Festival (MLJFF) is back for its 15th year, but for the first time in its history, it won’t be held in a hall or theatre. Due to COVID-19, the festival is putting on its show digitally, through XERB.tv.
“Through the digital festival, we continue to fulfil our mission of advocating on behalf of justice, equity and peace through the free screening of some of the most timely and topical social justice documentaries released this past year,” said Jennifer Ewen, executive director of MLJFF.
This year’s lineup tackles a wide range of environmental, social justice and human rights issues.
Safe Haven, for example, is about the stories of U.S. war resisters looking for safety in Canada during the Vietnam and Iraq wars, exposing the realities and the myths of Canada as a welcoming country for those fleeing dangerous situations.
Sockeye Salmon, Red Fish touches on a species of wild salmon that is born in Kamchatkan waters and lives in the Pacific Ocean. While it is an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet without depleting the species, soon humans could exhaust the inexhaustible.
Indebted to All Women aims to give voice to women in El Salvador suffering and struggling to change one of the most restrictive laws in the world for sexual and reproductive rights, where abortion is penalized with 20 to 40 years in prison.
There are many more moving documentaries in the roster this year to choose from, including Servitude, Alice Street and From Durban To Tomorrow.
Finding films that speak about the justice topics you’re interested in is easy, as MLJFF uses the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals to associate and categorize each film for programming. Many films align with multiple of the UN’s goals.
From Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, you can catch any of these films for free online — from the comfort and safety of your own home.
So, grab some popcorn, tissues (you’ll need it) and enjoy the shows!
