Anna Tkachenko | Contributor
Featured image: Cinema Politica offers a unique opportunity to explore the realm of activism and global social justice in film. | Courtesy of Pexels
Once a month at York, the Nat Taylor Cinema opens its doors to film lovers everywhere. It’s a chance to discover new filmmakers all over the world, exposing a variety of films that encourage discussion on issues within the realm of global social justice.
This is made possible by one of the many clubs on campus, Cinema Politica York. On November 30, they coordinated the screening of Alethea Arnaquq-Baril’s documentary Angry Inuk, which, last year, was on the Toronto International Film Festival’s annual Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival list and won Canada’s Top Ten People’s Choice Award.
”Cinema Politica York is our ‘local’ chapter. Founded in 2013, we organize monthly screenings and discussions of activist cinema. We’re one of over 100 member locals in the Cinema Politica network, which is the world’s largest network of student cinema clubs,” John Greyson, head of the club and a member of York’s Film Department, explains.
“We pay a yearly membership fee, and in return, have the ability to select films from the Cinema Politica collection. While they specialize in social justice feature documentaries on urgent contemporary issues (for example, climate change, Indigenous rights, or Middle Eastern issues), they also offer some dramas and curated programs of short activist films organized around particular themes.
”The screening was very inspiring—the passionate diary of an activist and a campaign, advocating on behalf of her community—a film that didn’t shy away from difficult questions and issues,” Greyson says.
Arnaquq-Baril’s Angry Inuk aimed to attract the attention of the international population, highlighting the impact that the European Union’s ban on the import of seal pelts, oil, and meat has had on Inuit communities.
The secretary of the organization, Awani Kulkarni, an MBA/MA student at York, arranged the screening and panel discussion. Kulkarni invited Scott MacKenzie, a Film and Media undergraduate chair at Queen’s, to address the dilemmas the film raised in a global context. MacKenzie has taught film courses in universities around the United Kingdom and Canada, including York. He intrigued the audience by touching upon animal activists’ decisions on ending the seal hunt, which has resulted in tremendous economic instability among Inuit communities, as the animal is known to be a primary source of food and income; thus the Inuit’s main means of survival.
Cinema Politica welcomes all York students who are willing to broaden their perspectives on themes of social justice and the global affairs raised by the films. Anyone interested can explore and question the diverse aspects of human society. Anyone who wants to join can simply contact the organization during one of their monthly screenings.
”Though membership is open to all, over these past four years, it intended to attract primarily film graduate students and had anywhere from five to 10 members per year. Members are expected to take turns collectively curating and programming one of our monthly screening and discussions,” Greyson says.
All in all, the members of Cinema Politica collaborate to add new, intriguing chapters to the cinematic experience for all at York.
