IJCentral is at the core of a campaign produced by Skylight Pictures to build global public awareness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and contribute to a constituency that will support an effective international justice system. The outreach initiative includes making Skylight Pictures’ documentary film “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court” freely available for use by educators and activists, along with a range of related short films, video modules, and microdocs.
A companion transmedia project, Granito: Every Memory Matters was created as an online intergenerational, interactive public archive of memories to uncover the history of the Guatemalan genocide.
The GMEM project provides tools for the collection of memories related to the internal armed conflict in Guatemala that lasted from 1976-1985. This conflict, a genocidal war against the indigenous population, killed an estimated 200,000 Guatemalans (predominantly Maya people) as well as another 45,000 people missing. This dark period of Guatemala’s recent history has remained hidden and silent.
For this reason, one of the main goals of GMEM is to involve Guatemalan youth (70% of the population in Guatemala is under 30), who know very little about the fearful times that their elders lived.
By using the power of memory to facilitate an intergenerational exchange to recover memories, and put them in a publicly accessible online site, we hope to contribute to the long-term goal of establishing a shared historical narrative, and build a future in harmony.
The reports collected in this project can be in the form of short videos, photographs, letters, music or even a text message about a loved one. All the memories collected through this project are included in this interactive website, which serves as a public record. Each memory is easily accessible, and can be displayed chronologically or geolocated on the GMEM map. The website is a solemn memorial of the past and evidence of the strength of the Guatemalan people.
The project GMEM works in Guatemala and United States with established organizations that seek truth and justice through their projects. It also depends on user-generated content. Any person wishing to share their memories or do interviews with friends and family can contribute to the site.
The project is directed by a staff based in the U.S. and one in Guatemala. The staff serves as a bridge between those who live in the U.S. and those living in Guatemala. “Team Memory” acts as a link, provides facilitators and trainers, and assist communities in the collection of memories that will be part of the public archive.
BK @24FPS seeks to highlight documentary films as a way to to expand dialogue around the intersection of human rights and art. Born out of a three-way, informal, partnership between Skylight, UnionDocs, and WITNESS, these monthly events aim to strengthen the ties between people interested in human rights in Brooklyn and will consist of, a 10-part series of film screenings followed by a partner-moderated discussion between the filmmaker, movement actors, and the audience. During our discussions we will debate the conventional framework for human rights and challenge the definition of what constitutes human rights media. For more information visit our BK@24FPS Page.