United States Agency for Global Media

USAGM to host inaugural Press Freedom Film Festival around World Press Freedom Day

April 29, 2020

USAGM to host inaugural Press Freedom Film Festival around World Press Freedom Day
Washington, D.C. — In honor of World Press Freedom Day, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) will host its first-ever Press Freedom Film Festival. The week-long, online festival will feature documentaries produced for audiences in media-restricted environments and behind-the-scenes conversations with the enterprising journalists and filmmakers.
“The USAGM networks regularly use high-quality, informative documentaries and reports to illuminate critical issues for people living in some of the darkest corners of the globe,” said USAGM CEO and Director Grant K. Turner. “This film festival is an excellent opportunity for viewers to understand what our audience of 350 million people already knows –the importance of our public service media networks in providing uncensored and unbiased news and information as a catalyst for freedom and democracy.”

The 2020 USAGM Press Freedom Film Festival will screen documentaries from each of its five news networks to provide viewers with a better understanding of USAGM’s storytelling impact and operating challenges across its reporting regions. A live chat with in-depth background information on the documentary, the filmmakers, and the target country’s media environment will accompany each film. Screenings will also be followed by a discussion with the media professionals who work in front of and behind the camera.
The films and follow-on conversations will be screened online weekdays from May 4-8 at
12:00 p.m. EDT. Tickets and streaming instructions are available here.

 

Schedule

Monday, May 4—Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Пусть все горит [Let It All Burn]*

Followed by a conversation with Andrey Loshak

Tuesday, May 5—Voice of America

VOA Connects – Telling America’s Story

Followed by a conversation with VOA Video Journalists Gabrielle Weiss and Deepak Dobhal

Hell and Hope

Followed by a conversation with VOA Producer Amish Srivastava and Correspondent Dakhil Elias

Wednesday, May 6—Radio Free Asia

The Life of Female Fighters in Myanmar’s Arakan Army

Followed by a conversation with Kyaw Min Htun, RFA Burmese Service

Thursday, May 7-Middle East Broadcasting Networks

Alhurra Investigates – Iran’s Money Laundering through Imported Fruit

Followed by a conversation with Maan Aljizzani, Alhurra Investigative Reporter

Alhurra Investigates – ISIS’ Prisoners; Selling to the Highest Bidder

Followed by a conversation with Ghalia Bdiwe, Alhurra Investigative Reporter

Friday, May 8—Office of Cuba Broadcasting

Subterraneo*

Followed by a conversation with filmmakers Joe Cardona and Magdiel Aspillaga

(*) indicates the film’s premiere

Find out more

Contact Office of Public Affairs

Related links

Press Freedom Film Festival