The Tembusu (Fagraea fragrans) is a large evergreen tree in the family Gentianaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia. Its trunk is dark brown, with deeply fissured bark, looking somewhat like a bittergourd. It grows in an irregular shape from 10 to 25m high. Its leaves are light green and oval in shape. Its yellowish flowers have a distinct fragrance and the fruits of the tree are bitter tasting red berries, which are eaten by birds and fruit bats. Source: Tembusu, Wikipedia

Modern Day Slavery Film Forum by EmancipAsia

Modern day slavery film forum

presented by EmancipAsia Ltd

The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, Singapore

Event is free of charge

Synopsis:

EmancipAsia’s mission is to raise awareness about human trafficking /modern day slave trade, a global, heinous crime against humanity, generating an annual profit of US$32 bln.

Join men and women who have risked their lives to give voice to the voiceless victims of modern day slavery, for together, we can help amplify their voices. These stunning works reveal the global shadow world of traffickers, unscrupulous employers, pimps and brothel owners, loan sharks, brokers and corrupt police who prey on the vulnerable. They show people who betray and sell their own family members or friends into bondage. Through these powerful films, please join us in learning more about the complex nuances and multi-faceted challenges of modern day slave trade.

Films:

The Day My God Died (60 mins)

Directed by Andrew Levine

7th Feb 2013, 7.30pm

Synopsis: The Day My God Died is a feature-length documentary that presents the stories of young girls whose lives have been shattered by the child sex trade. They describe the day they were abducted from their village and sold into sexual servitude as “The Day My God Died”. Filmed in Nepal and India this documentary provides actual footage from inside the brothels of Bombay, a world seldom seen by outsiders known as “The Cages,” captured with spy camera technology. The documentary also features Anuradha Koirala, 62, CNN Hero of the year, for her fight against the trafficking of Nepali women and children since 1993, who remind us that, “these are our daughters.”

 

Not My Life (83 mins)

Directed by Robert Bilheimer

7th Feb 2013, 9.00pm

Synopsis: Not My Life depicts the horrifying and dangerous practices of human trafficking and modern slavery on a global scale. Filmed on 5 continents over a period of 4 years, combining testimony from survivors, opinion and analysis from their advocates with vivid depictions of the exploitation, Not My Life is a powerful indictment of the global trade in human beings and the abuse of vulnerable people. Human trafficking takes many forms, but the consequences are always devastating for the victims. By shining a light on these dark corners of the world, Bilheimer’s message is clear: “We all have a responsibility to these people and the first step is awareness. Watching Not My Life is an important first step.”

 

The Price of Sex (73 mins)

Produced by Mimi Chakarova

8th Feb 2013, 7.30pm

Synopsis: The Price of Sexis a feature-length documentary about young Eastern European women who’ve been drawn into a world of sex trafficking and abuse. Intimate, harrowing and revealing, it is a story told by the young women who were supposed to be silenced by shame, fear and violence. Photojournalist Mimi Chakarova, who grew up in Bulgaria, takes us on a personal investigative journey, exposing the shadowy world of sex trafficking from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and Western Europe. Filming undercover and gaining extraordinary access, Chakarova illuminates how even though some women escape to tell their stories, sex trafficking thrives. Winner of two awards in 2011.

 

Fatal promises (60min)

Directed by Katharine Rohrer

8th Feb 2013, 9.00pm

Synopsis: Through personal stories of victims and interviews with politicians, NGO representatives and activists, Fatal Promises provides a comprehensive look at the realities of human trafficking versus the rhetoric of politicians and pundits who claim to be making significant strides in combating this horrific crime against humanity. Ukraine, the second largest country in Europe, is a prime example of a nation struggling to establish a stable economy, a functioning legal system and to control criminal enterprises of which Human Trafficking is the largest. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of women, children and men have been trafficked from Ukraine to the United States, Western Europe and the Balkans since the fall of the Soviet Union.

For more information, visit http://www.emancipasia.org/films/