PROJECTS

War, Reconciliation, and Human Rights Film Series

The Gonzaga Institute for Action Against Hate in conjunction with the Gonzaga Center for Law and Justice presented the War, Reconciliation, and Human Rights Film Series. All of the films were shown in the Gonzaga Law School Barbieri Moot Court Room and were free to the public. The films were a great success with large audiences. The Institute was proud to be able to bring these important films to the Spokane area and to encourage discussion on the topics of dehumanization, war, violence, and reconciliation.

The films in the series included:

The first film, "Faces of the Enemy," was shown on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. It explored the process of dehumanizing our adversaries before we kill them in war. In the film, the audience meets David Rice who was influenced by right wing propaganda and killed a family of four because he thought they were communists. It follows the story of William Broyles, a Vietnam vet, who returned to Vietnam to meet the individuals who were once his enemies. Editorial cartoonists are interviewed and they discuss how they use stereotypes to tap into their readers' most visceral emotions. The movie ends on a hopeful note with Joseph Campbell explaining that the origin of compassion begins when we recognize ourselves beneath the mask of our enemy. Rusty Nelson from the Peace and Justice Action League facilitated a conversation about the movie at its conclusion.

The second film, "Liberia: An Uncivil War," was shown on Tuesday, February 21 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. It provided an in-depth case study of one of the many brutal civil wars springing up on the African continent. It placed the current situation into a historical context stretching back nearly two hundred years. Filmmakers Jonathan Stack and Brabazon cover opposite sides of the conflict. At 6:30, Dr. Yoder from Whitworth College, began a discussion about Liberia focusing on his experiences in Liberia as a monitor for the recently held elections in Liberia. At the completion of the movie, he facilitated a conversation about it.

The third film, "Shake Hands with the Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire," was shown on Tuesday, March 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM and documents Romeo Dallaire's return to Rwanda for the 10th anniversary of the genocide, reliving the political and psychological drama in unforgettable detail. Daillare was the commander of a small U.N. peacekeeping force stationed in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide and the movie follows him as he revisits the sites of mass murder and heroism. Fr. Cypren Niyitegeka, who is originally from Rwanda, discussed the film from his perspective and lead a question and answer period at the completion of the film.

The final film in the series, "Long Night's Journey into Day," was shown on Tuesday, April 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM provides a dramatic inside look at one of the most innovative and ambitious attempts at dialogue and healing in human history - South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The film depicts a deeply moving record of four case studies from the encounters between victims with their victimizers. The moderator for this film was Dr. Shann Ferch from Gonzaga University's Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies. After the film, he encouraged the audience to reflect on pride and courage. He also led an audience discussion about the film, forgiveness, and reconciliation.