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RENATE members and Press representatives gathered at noon at the BAFTA Piccadilly,(British Academy of Film and Television Awards) London, on 29 July 2021 to launch the RENATE Film Festival.
Mr. Julian Shaw, Director BAFTA Piccadilly, welcome everybody and gave support for RENATE’s Festival of Film, stating he would like to see such a festival become a regular calendar event in the work to raise awareness about and advocate against the crime of human trafficking.
Dr. Jon Hackett, Head Communications, Media and Marketing at St. Mary’s, Twickenham will act as Moderator of the Film Festival when it takes place at the BAFTA Piccadilly on Sunday, 12 September 2021 and spoke at the Press launch about the powerful communications instrument which film is recognised for. Jon congratulated RENATE on being innovative and dynamic in its approach to communicating through the medium of film and the possibilities for extended reach to as wide an audience as possible when raising awareness about Human Trafficking and Exploitation. He introduced each of the panel.
The press and panelists then watched a newly-created innovative survivor led film produced in Albania by a partnership of NGOS all members of RENATE included Different and Equal, Vatra, Mary Ward Loreto and Shkej. This was totally produced by all protagonist for free as part of the effort of raisin awareness against Human Trafficking on The World day against Human Trafficking, July 3oth 2021.
Imelda Poole, IBVM, President RENATE Europe, linked this film with her input. She firstly welcomed the participants on behalf of RENATE and thanked BAFTA for their amazing contribution to this event. She gave a background and vision of RENATE linking this with stories from the films and the recent issue of UK children trafficked to Syria by radicalisers and refused entry back into the UK as now deemed a danger to society! each of whom received the RENATE Film Festival marketing materials from the organizing team and volunteers.
Following her input we showed a short second film related to labour trafficking produced by Caritas Slovakia.
RENATE member Marie Power, HFB, also related her input on RENATE and advocacy work. She spoke about the importance and role which film as a medium can play in advocacy, in addition to awareness-raising, prevention, protection and with increasing confidence. She showed how film can be deployed as a medium through which the voices of human trafficking survivors can lead the way in the work to end this crime against the dignity of the human person.
Rachel Sweetman, RENATE’s social media person, concluded the inputs with a clear explanation of the film competition for young people.
The press launch was then followed with a dynamic panel Questions and answer session and this was followed by a networking reception, where the Press continued to interview and ask questions re RENATE and the film festival in a more informal way.
The whole event was a most moving and challenging debate for all participants. We came away animated and ready for the next steps in the mission.
Submissions for the Film Festival Competition are accepted up to 20 August 2021.
For more information about the Film Festival competition: https://www.renateevents.net/film-competition