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| For A 1000 Lives |
San Sebastian International Film Festival director José Luis Rebordinos has announced the festival's backing for the For A Thousand Lives: Be Human campaign, which was launched September 2. The campaign calls for people fleeing war, terror, or political persecution to be provided with legal means of receiving protection from the EU. It calls on EU countries to work in solidarity, repealing the Dublin convention that says refugees mus seek asylum in the first country they reach, and ensure better distribution of those in need between different nations. The emphasis mus be on showing respect and giving people the chance to work, study and rebuild their lives, it argues.
The campaign already has the support of over 5,000 film industry professionals, including Brits Daniel Craig, Jonathan Pryce, Ken Loach and Mike Leigh. Other big names involved include Isabella Rossellini, Michael Haneke, Bertrand Tavernier, Agnieszka Holland, Thomas Vinterberg and Michel Hazanavicius.
Amnesty International estimates that over 23,000 refugees have died so far when attempting to flee to Europe, while over 20 times as much is spent on border control as on centres for helping the refugees themselves.
For more information about the campaign, visit the official site.
