Interview and Reviews -Tashi Khan
Help and assistance Neeley Lara Gail
When I received the email about the festival, I never realised that it would have such an impact on me. I requested some tickets and when I saw my first film of the festival: Salma, it evoked so many emotions, anger, and despair to name a few.
I thought why do women have to suffer and go through so much in the name of belief, culture, and manmade norms? Why does every country, every religion, every race have so many rules and why are they so harsh against women?
It was heart rendering, I just wanted protest against all of the rules, regulations, and dictatorships. At this point I decided to watch all the films and documentaries to learn more about current worldwide issues
I was very much aware of the things happening around us and in various countries but to have an insight into the depth of the issues was a complete heart wrenching experience.
Seeing all the directors and the unit to go to the lengths they did and face potentially dangerous situations in order to record the current societal issues.
I want to give all due respect and credit to the directors and the crews for their courage, efforts and dedication.
Interview with the star of the film In the Shadows of the Sun
Josephat Torner
By Tashi Khan
Help and Assistance by Neeley Lara Gail
In the Shadow of the Sun When I read the details of the films, it was the first which struck me, it entailed an issue which I always wanted to delve further into. So I put my request forward immediately.
When I came out of the screening in Curzon Soho I quickly grabbed a sofa to fiddle in my bag for my phone and to my astonishment there was Josephat sitting right next to me having a chat with my partner! I forgot all about my phone and grabbed my IPad instead. I thought it was a good opportunity to express my emotions in the form of questions and to quell the feelings of distress at the plight of these kids and adults suffering from Albinism.
The Interview
Q: what is the film about?
The film is about the plight of people with albinism in Tanzania.
Q: why make a film about this topic?
Albino people are being attacked and killed for their body parts due to superstition. People think that if they have the body parts of someone with albinism they will become rich.
Q: who do they attack?
They normally attack women and children because they are easier to attack. Because of the threat of violence some parents abandon their albino children because they fear they will be attacked.
They normally attack women and children because they are easier to attack. Because of the threat of violence some parents abandon their albino children because they fear they will be attacked.
Q: What causes people to attack an albino person?
A:It is superstition in some African countries. We are being hunted for our body parts. If you are an albino you suffer stigma. Some people think I am less of a human being. This means I get less opportunities, for example if you want to access education it is really difficult.
A:It is superstition in some African countries. We are being hunted for our body parts. If you are an albino you suffer stigma. Some people think I am less of a human being. This means I get less opportunities, for example if you want to access education it is really difficult.
Tashi khan with JosephatIt is a cultural issue and many people believe the stories they hear about albinos. The killings are concentrated in the rural areas but there are also killings in the cities. One of the beliefs is that people with albinism will not die they will just disappear and you will not see their body. Albinos in the African community are considered less than human. Many albinos are killed in their beds.
Q: how did you survive?
A: I was attacked last year but I survived. I think I have a fundamental human right to life. When I meet Albino children who have had limbs chopped off for body parts and those children being left with disabilities I feel this is a really bad situation. I feel I have to campaign to stop it.
Q:Did you go to school?
A; Yes, my mother sent me to school but many children did not accept me. They told me I was not a human being but my mother tried to do what she could for me which is why I am here.
Q: What is the biggest issue other than killing?
A; Skin cancer kills a lot of Albinos before adulthood. We cannot go out into the sun without skin protection, otherwise we have a risk of skin cancer.
Q: What about jobs?
A: You can get a job but it is very difficult. In countries with a good human rights system it is easier to get a job.
Q: What are you trying to achieve with the film?
Q: What are you trying to achieve with the film?
A: I am promoting it because of the right to life. I want to raise awareness of the issues facing the African albino community so that in future people with albinism can enjoy their human rights and not be stigmatised or segregated or isolated. I want us to be able to live like other people and have social interaction and not be forced to live in camps. In Tanzania we are forced to live in camps. However I am married to a wife who does not have albinism and I spend a lot of time travelling to raise awareness of the issues shown in the film.
Why interview 2?
Rushing around from one venue to another is a bit of an exercise especially when you get stuck in a choc a block traffic, so I missed a big part of the film and had to see it again to get to the grips and to see how the film started and how josephat got involved.
So after the film I grabbed hold of him and he very politely obliged (though he was surrounded by fans) we had come to an agreement when interview 1 took place.
Interview 2
Q: What is the purpose of these witch doctors?
A: They are traditional healers, they are respected in the community, some are good some just cheat people. there are no hospitals so people depend on them.
Q: What are witch doctors, do they help people?
A; They are traditional healers. Some are good but some cheat people by telling them they will become rich if they take the body parts of albinos.
Q: What about education, can it help to change peoples attitudes?
Q: Should the effort to educate be concentrated in the villages?
Q: Do you think that you will eventually be accepted?
Q: What about your family, you have a wife and children?
Thanks to Josephat for sharing his personal emotions and life time experiences.
By Tashi Khan
help Neeley Lara Gail
By Tashi Khan
help Neeley Lara Gail
