We no longer have to rely on major corporations for things to be seen — we have Media that Matters to distribute new material and new voices and new points of view.” -Tim Robbins, Actor
The first Media that Matters Aotearoa film event occurred in Wellington on 15 March. It was a great event with heaps of engaged and engaging people. There were interesting films, thought-provoking speakers and loads of stimulating discussion.
Just Focus bought the US-based MTM Festival to Aotearoa New Zealand because we think it is important to explore our relationship with the media. MTM encourages us to think critically about how and where we get our news and information and reminds us of the importance of seeking out new voices and different perspectives. We hope it will inspire more young people in NZ to express their views through film.
The Wellington event happened at the Film Archive. About 50 young people came along and watched 9 films divided into three sections.
- Money- economics, power and poverty
- People- diversity, discrimination, identity and the media
- Planet-environment, action and expression
Each section included a speaker, some discussion and the opportunity to win some great (and ethically sourced) prizes, like LUSH products and fair-trade chocolate.
The speakers included film makers, community workers and activists and they looked at some keys issues and the global context in which these issues exist. Indymedia spoke about their film The Nu Face of Youth Rebellion, which explores the Tongan people’s struggle for change. Kate and Emily from Kotahi te Ao: One World, discussed their film project, which aims to renew hope in sustainability. Yadana Saw looked at the globalisation of people, products and ideas and the impact of the media on how we construct our own identities.
Some comments about the event:
“Very very good. Powerful and moving.”
“Brilliant! Very thought provoking.”
“Great variety of films-inspiring, empowering, informing.”