From conspiracy theories to political correctness, we live in an era of polarization. With its film series, Beyond black and white/Jenseits von Schwarz-Weiß, Save the Children focuses instead on complexity. In "In My Blood It Runs", an Aboriginal boy fights the "white" education system but is himself a difficult character. "Exiled: Rohingya" examines the complicated history of the marginalized Muslim minority in Myanmar, who are both victims and perpetrators. Sport is a source of emancipation for girls in Kabul in "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)". Success at sport corrupts the environment surrounding a Kenyan runner in "Run Like a Girl". And "Summerwar" makes it clear why a Ukrainian girl loves her time in a nationalist summer camp. Nothing is black and white.
This film series is curated by SAVE THE CHILDREN.
British social reformer Eglantyne Jebb founded Save the Children in 1919 to help rescue children in Germany and Austria from starvation. She did not distinguish between friend and enemy. Save the Children is now the largest independent children's rights organization in the world.
The Rohingya in Myanmar are the most persecuted minority in the world. Why, in 2018, were their villages burned to the ground and hundreds of thousands driven from their homes, in a country effectively ruled by Noble Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi? Few conflicts are as complicated as the Rohingya crisis. EXILED explores the history of this Muslim minority in the Buddhist-majority nation of Myanmar. Burmese and Rohingya speak about the deep roots of violence and report on hate and ethnic cleansing.
"I want to be an Aborigine," says 10-year-old Dujuan. He comes from a family of Arrernte Aborigine, is already a healer and speaks three languages fluently. But those talents have no place in a "white" educational system. Dujuan rebels and is thus increasingly put under the control of the social welfare office and the police. But clever Dujuan's family stands by him as he shares with us his thoughts and dreams and introduces us to his magical knowledge of the Arrernte myths and that of the complicated world surrounding him.
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)
A girl learning to skateboard in Kabul seems impossible. The challenge, not just for her but for the society around her, seems insurmountable. But, with every training session, the girls get better: their confidence in their own bodies and abilities grows. Suddenly, for two sisters, getting an education doesn't seem like such an absurd idea. This uplifting film, which shows a different side to Afghanistan, won an Oscar this year for its directors Caroline Dysinger and Zamarin Wahdat.
"A marathon is a long journey", says the Kenyan runner Visiline Jepkesho. Like every runner in the east African nation, success brings with it the burden of responsibility. Running is a way out of poverty, for the runner and their entire family. We see how Visiline wins international competitions and deals with defeat, how she moves into her first home with water and electricity, and how she deals with the growing conflicts within her own family. This film's marathon is a complicated story of empowerment for the young who run in Africa.
Ukraine is at war and 12-year-old Jastrip dreams of being a sniper. He meets Jasmin at a paramilitary summer camp. The kids are taught to be patriots and to fight for their country. Jasmin, in particular, really comes into her own. But what impact do the military drills and the political indoctrination have on these impressionable minors? And what will become of Jastrip and Jasmin when they leave the camp? After a talk with her pensive father, the ardent Jasmin begins to question her motives.
