By Clare BruceMonday 20 Jun 2016MoviesReading Time: 1 minute
Chasing Asylum is “the film the Australian Government doesn’t want you to see” according to its trailer—and it’s selling tickets fast.
Made of interviews and footage captured over the past two years at Australia’s Nauru and Manus Island detention centres by Eva Orner, the film is “upsetting” according to the filmmaker.
“People like me – journalists, film makers, cameras – are not allowed into detention centres and no-one has seen what is going on,” Eva told The Feed on SBS. “It’s a criminal offense for people to speak out about conditions on Manus and Nauru. The average person doesn’t know that we are the only country in the world that keeps children in indefinite detention, that people are dying in detention and our taxpayer dollar is paying for it.”
Beyond Festival Screening the film
One of the many groups backing the film is the social justice organisation Beyond Festival.
Director Andrew Palmer believes the film will shed light on what political parties are trying to hide. He’s thrilled that the Chatswood screening’s 100 seats sold out so quickly that another 80 seats were released.
“The fact that were’ selling out a cinema on a State of Origin night, I think is indicative of the importance and the level of awareness about this issue,” he said.
See The Chasing Asylum Film
Chasing Asylum screenings are being held Australia-wide. See the film website for screening dates and locations.