Media contact: Kate Kizer, kkizer@adhrb.org, (202) 621-6141 x 103
Washington D.C. – June 15, 2015 – “Witness Bahrain”, a new award-winning documentary by donkeysaddle projects, will premiere in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 5:30pm on Capitol Hill. The screening, which is co-sponsored by Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA), Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), and donkeysaddle projects will begin with brief opening remarks from the Congressman. Following the film, there will be a brief Q&A with director Jen Marlowe and former Bahraini Member of Parliament, Matar Matar. Though RSVP is required, the event is open to the public
Film Synopsis:
Witness Bahrain is a piercing look inside Bahrain, more than a year after the start of Bahrain’s pro-democracy uprising in 2011. The award-winning film follows a Bahraini activist as she travels all over Bahrain, uncovering stories of ordinary Bahrainis who have voiced their opposition to the monarchy, including doctors arrested and tortured under trumped up charges, nurses treating injured protestors at underground clinics, the family of a boy killed by riot police, and the arrest of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. Scores of ordinary Bahrainis are also featured: women explaining why they protest, people praying on the remains of their demolished mosques, and youth clashing daily with riot police.
Praise for Witness Bahrain:
“One of the best documentaries I have seen this year….the film is fearless, insightful, and has a big heart for those who are in this long but beautiful struggle.”
-Charles Mudede, The Stranger
“Witness Bahrain is an authentic account of how Bahraini medics and others have tried to cope in the aftermath of the government crackdown that began in 2011. It shows the day to day, night to night reality of what it’s like to live under a repressive regime, and the courage of those who show defiance.”
-Brian Dooley, Director of the Human Rights Defenders Program, Human Rights First
About the filmmaker:
Jen Marlowe is a Seattle-based award-winning documentary filmmaker, author, human rights activist, and the founder of donkeysaddle projects. Her films include Witness Bahrain, One Family in Gaza, Rebuilding Hope: Sudan’s Lost Boys Return Home, and Darfur Diaries: Message from Home. Her books include I Am Troy Davis, The Hour of Sunlight: One Palestinian’s Journey from Prisoner to Peacemaker, and Darfur Diaries: Stories of Survival.
About the screening:
Wednesday, June 17, 2015 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Rayburn House Office Bldg
50 Independence Ave SW
Room B-369
Washington, DC 20024
Co-sponsored by Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA), Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, and donkeysaddle projects. This event is open to the public.
Seating is limited for this exciting event, so please RSVP here!
