I recently had the pleasure of taking a family trip to NY, with a goal of seeing the sights. And see we did. Tourists we were. Visiting landmarks, from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Top of the Rock, the Hamilton Memorial to the One World Trade Center, it was an educational and cultural tour de force. Many heroes. Many victims.
I had been to NY many times before, but this was the first time I had a chance to embrace the sheer volume of American history entrenched here. Thankfully, the historical significance was not lost on me, or my kids. For me, it all came full circle on the tour of the United Nations. What a treat to experience the brilliant lithographs by Brazilian artist Octavio Roth, her artwork depicting the 30 Articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Assembly proclaimed this historic document on December 10th 1948 as a common standard of achievement for all people of all nations. With all the wars, struggles for freedom, political strife and the latest #MeTooMovement, do we need another excuse to consider change, and move forward with a new perspective? As luck would have it, Human Rights Day is to be observed by the international community every year on December 10th. As we celebrate and ponder the current landscape, we pulled together a few award-winning films with heroes and victims who connect to specific Articles. The movies are certain to entertain and engage, and hopefully, inspire. One of Us The new film tracks the lives of three ex-members of Brooklyn’s Hasidic community: Ari, Luzer, and Etty. Each struggles with being ostracized from their former community and families, while sharing their circumstances. The characters also share their religious doubt, along with past domestic trauma. So much for “freedom of thought, conscience and religion…and freedom to change religion or belief.” Click here to see a trailer. Click here to find out WHERE TO WATCH the movie. Documented Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas began working on “Documented” shortly before “outing” himself as undocumented in a groundbreaking New York Times Magazine essay, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant.” Vargas traveled around the US, sharing his story with the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants living in America. As he connected with others, he is driven to reconnect with his mother, whom he had not seen in 20 years. Articles 13, 14 and 15 all come into play with this complicated subject of immigration. Click here to see a trailer. Click here to find out WHERE TO WATCH the movie. Unrest Jennifer Brea is close to marrying the love of her life when she’s struck down by a fever that leaves her bedridden. Doctors tell her “it’s all in her head,” and she decides to document her struggles as fights for a cure. She gets her share of “degrading treatment.” Click here to see a trailer. Click here to find out WHERE TO WATCH the movie. These are just a few great examples of the power of film to communicate a need for reflection, a path to join a movement, or simply a better understanding of the issues. There are many victims in our midst, who often go unseen. We’re grateful for these filmmakers, not afraid to shine a light.
CLICK BELOW TO SEE TRAILERS FOR EACH OF THE MOVIES
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