This is the true story of Fetim Salam, a Saharawi refugee falsely portrayed as a slave in the Australian documentary Stolen. Australian filmmakers Violeta Ayala and Daniel Fallshaw travel to the Saharawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria in 2007 and claim to discover 20,000 slaves in the camps run by the independence movement Polisario Front. Refugees are outraged for being portrayed as slaves, and humanitarian aid workers are incredulous about these allegations as they know the camps intimately.
Filmmaker Carlos González retraces their steps in search of the truth and finds a web of misinformation, lies and Moroccan operatives apparently reshaping the truth. The film will be introduced by its director and producer Carlos González in person. After the film there will be a Q&A with Carlos González moderated by Carmela Baranowska, Lecturer in Media at Australian Catholic University.
Victoria College of the Arts, School of Film and TV, Cinema 2, 234 St Kilda Road, City.
This screening has been endorsed by The Centre for Ideas, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne.