Film and Peace Building

This programme has two elements: One is to provide workshops and facilitated forums to filmmakers and academics. The second involves researching methods for combining films and forum work for the public.

With recognition of the powerful medium of film as a way of raising concern and awareness on peace-building issues, CFOR will be cooperating and collaborating with film makers and others who are working with the impact of film on peace-building. CFOR will offer Seminars/Forums, which provide a training element on dynamics of trauma and conflict, followed by facilitated forums that provide opportunity for filmmakers to explore the complexity of telling a story of trauma and conflict, in a creative way that furthers awareness and reflection, rather than polarizing conflict. In tandem with filmmakers, CFOR will also research and develop methods for combining documentary film and forums. Films provide an entry into forums. And Forums provide the opportunity for audiences to grapple with the polarities presented and their emotional reactions to film. Film audiences, after viewing a documentary, will have the opportunity to take part in a facilitated forum, where they can bring in their emotional responses, find out how they are a part of the problem, and also part of the potential solution. In this vein, films will also be used as a method for enabling forum discussions in our other conflict prevention and community building projects.