Today is A15 International Day of Action in Sydney that involved an early morning raid on Thales, a French multi-national arms manufacturer with strong links to the Israeli armaments manufacturer, Elbit Systems. Three activists locked onto the gates of Thales in Rydalmere, Sydney. The police were quick to respond, cordoning off the area before the solidarity activists arrived. Still they loudly made their presence felt to motorists and the Thales workers who were beginning their shift.
On February 7, bus convoys from Melbourne and Sydney converged on Canberra, the 1st day of Parliament for 2024, to protest the Federal government’s continuing support for the Israeli apartheid state. Speakers reflected on Israel’s brutal 75 year reign of terror on Palestinians. They raised the issue of Australia’s responsibility with the ICJ ruling to ensure Israels genocide is stopped. Sara Saleh, Human Rights lawyer spoke passionately of the need to continue protesting and advocating for Palestine every day and that the ICJ ruling, whereas important, is just one strategy that the Palestine solidarity movement should focus on. Greens Senator David Shoebridge talked of the Australian Government’s complicity with Israel, particularly its close military ties with Israel that is aiding its genocide in Gaza.
Dare to Struggle was there to document the day's protest.
To see a list of screenings for new Dare to Struggle film, Palestine Under Siege, visit palestineundersiege.org
On May 13 in Sydney , hundreds of people gathered to commemorate Al Nakba and protest the Zionist settler colonial regime of Israel. Al Nakba, which in Arabic means the catastrophe, relates to the massacres, ethnic cleansing and seizure of Palestinian land which was done by Zionist militants in order to create the state of Israel in 1948. The Nakba however is ongoing, as the killings and land theft continues. This video was made in solidarity with the Palestinian people's struggle for liberation and the right to return to their homes and land.
#Al Nakba #The Catastrophe #Palestine #PalestineWillBeFree
The Dare to Struggle Film Festival was set up to encourage film making about the struggles of ordinary people and of workers, in particular, in fighting for better work conditions, including the right not to lose your life while working.
Song for Christopher is about a young man just starting his working life in the construction industry. Produced by Gary McCarthy, the death of Christopher Cassaniti on 1 April 2019 was a tragic and needless injustice.
The film could easily have won a prize at the Festival. It did receive an Honorable Mention. This film honors all workers who have lost their lives at the hands of greedy developers cutting corners to save a buck at the expense of safety.
#daretostrugglefilmfestival #workersrights #workersafety #activismonscreen
Swarm
Daring to struggle, the theme of the recent Dare to Struggle Short Film Festival is about citizens taking direct collective action to fight for a better world to live in now and for future generations. This film, SWARM, clearly a potential prize winner won an Honorary Mention at the DTSFF. Directed by Lukasz Termer, Swarm tells the story of a gutsy beekeeper, Peter, who challenges the Australian government’s inaction on climate change. When raging bushfires destroy his livelihood, Peter, who is as feisty as his bees, takes matters into his own hands making plenty of new friends and a few enemies along the way.
#daretostrugglefilmfestival #activismonscreen #bees #climatechange #timeforchange #directaction #lukasztermer #swarm
Love and Revolution
There were so many good films at the recent Dare to Struggle Film Festival. Had we had more prizes, films like this one would have won a prize. We gave these films an Honorary Mention and will post them over the coming weeks.
This film, "Love and Revolution" by Jacqui North, takes up an issue close to many of us: the courageous struggle of the Palestinian people in their fight for land and justice against the brutal occupation of their country by Israel. This last week has been no different as the violence continues with the terrible crimes being committed including the killing of a number of young people under 15 and yet another attack on the courtyard of the Al Aqsa Mosque.
The film is also a powerful homage to the much loved and sadly missed rap artist, Candy Royalle with the wonderful Sara Saleh performing the tribute. Wonderful film.
The many and varied film entries at the Festival prove to us that there are filmmakers in the community prepared to make politically progressive and struggle films. Keep up the struggle and make those films as the Dare to Struggle Film Festival will continue into the future as a space to screen these films with cash prizes for many.
#daretostrugglefilmfestival #activismonscreen #PalestineWillBeFree #candyroyalle #love #revolution
Refugees and asylum seekers have been vilified for decades by both Liberal and Labor governments. Offshore detention of refugees has resulted in the torture of people who are fleeing war and terror and seeking a safe home in Australia. At the recent Dare to Struggle Film Festival, the film which won the Most Popular prize and the Patron's prize was the animated film, "Freedom is Mine" by Mahmoud Salameh Abu Qutmah, a Palestinian refugee from Syria. The film captures the despair felt by refugees being locked up in brutal detention centres. We must stand up for these people and make the government bring them to Australia and close offshore detention centres.
If you're a filmmaker, start planning your next film for the 2023 Dare to Struggle Film Festival. Details out soon.
#activismonscreen #daretostrugglefilmfestival #Refugeeswelcomehere #refugeestories
At the inaugural Dare to Struggle Film Festival, Best Student film went to Bama, directed by Jahvis Loveday.
After the first day of private school in the city, a young aboriginal boy reflects on his fear of losing the magic of family and community after being so far away from them. Congradulations and watch out for the announcement of the 2nd dare to Struggle Film Festival 2023.
#activismonscreen #firstnationspeople #daretostrugglefilmfestival
And for the 3rd Prize, the winning film is A Radical Hope produced by local activist filmmaker, Zebedee Galen Dowdell-Parkes. A film about activism where young people take the lead in the fight against Climate Change and inaction on the part of the government
In recent years Australia has felt the impact of the climate crisis through fires and floods, leaving many people feeling despair and anxiety about the future. A Radical Hope follows three high school students during the organizing of the March 25 Global Climate Strike in Sydney. Films are also available to view on Dare to Struggle Youtube site.
#radical #activismonscreen #daretostrugglefilmfestival #daretostruggle
Addressing Unfinished Business produced by Mandy King was the 1st Prize winner at the Dare to Struggle Film Festival 2022. You can watch the film here. DTSFF will be releasing films shown at the Film Festival over the next few months so all can see the diversity of films being made by activists and filmmakers about real life struggles of our class. You can access them via the DTSFF Youtube site as we release them.
#activismonscreen #daretostrugglefilmfestival #workersrights #firstnationspeople #unfinishedbusiness
The Festival is over but last weekend we remembered Jack Mundey by screening this short video as a tribute to Jack's life and politics. Jack's activism around workers' struggles and environment issues were well represented at the film festival and this is what inspired us to set up the Dare to Struggle Film Festival. We thank our patron, Judy Mundey for her support for the Festival and look forward to the next Festival in 2023.
Less than 9 days to enter your film into the Dare to Struggle Film Festival. Deadline March 31 www.daretostrugglefilmfestival.net.au
Activism and people coming together to struggle against injustice is a very powerful force for change.
This trailer is a struggle story from one of the films entered into the Dare to Struggle Film Festival. Swarm tells the story of a gutsy beekeeper, Peter, who challenges the Australian government’s inaction on climate change. Film by Lukasz Termer.
DARE TO STRUGGLE DARE TO WIN
