Session 24<ul><li>BY THE RIVER (Australia/India, 25 min)</li><li>THE ACCUSED (Pakistan, 78 min)</li></ul>

Description: Stretching along the river Ganges rests Varanasi, the holiest of India’s seven sacred cities, and a place where devout Hindus go to die in hopes of achieving moksha - becoming liberated from the cycle of rebirth. Several so-called ‘death hotels’ exist to accommodate believers who abandon their lives and come here in wait for death-- some for as long as 40 years. Biography: Daniel Braga Ulvestadd&nbsp;is a Norwegian director based in Berlin. After working alongside some of the best in the motion design industry on high-end projects such as lighting up the Sydney Opera House during Vivid 2017, he is now on a path to tell human stories with honesty at its heart, using the film medium as his tool.

BY THE RIVER

Stretching along the river Ganges rests Varanasi, the holiest of India’s seven sacred cities, and a place where devout Hindus go to die in hopes of achieving moksha - becoming liberated from the cycle of rebirth.

Description: The Accused&nbsp;is a modern-day inquisition. Against the backdrop of Pakistan's elections, this film follows the rise of powerful cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi on a mission to preserve the country's blasphemy laws, which prescribe a mandatory death sentence for disrespecting the Prophet Muhammed. Cleric Rizvi runs for elections and holds the state hostage, condemning to death anyone who attempts to change the law. As he pushes for power, gaining millions of followers, those accused of blasphemy - minorities and liberals - become the pawns of his ambition. Patras Masih and Asia Bibi are on death row for committing Blasphemy - Patras for allegedly sharing blasphemous content on his friend's Facebook page, and Asia for allegedly uttering blasphemous words during an argument with a co-worker. Both are Christians, belonging to Pakistan's heavily targeted minority, and both have grim chances of gaining justice in the run up to elections, where even moderate front runner Imran Khan appears to support the Blasphemy Law. As Asia Bibi's case becomes a cause célèbre around the world, Rizvi's ferocious political strategy of crushing dissenters steps up. Brave opposing voices emerge and the judicial system in Pakistan becomes a battleground. Biography: Mohammed Ali Naqvi’s&nbsp;documentary films have been called “explosive” and “chilling”, and are described as having “jaw-dropping” and “unprecedented” access to some of the most dangerous subjects. His most recent documentaries are&nbsp;Insha'Allah Democracy&nbsp;(STARZ, BBC), featuring fly-on-wall access to notorious military dictator General Pervez Musharraf, and&nbsp;Among the Believers&nbsp;(Netflix, PBS World), an up-close and personal chronicle of ISIS supporter and Taliban ally Abdul Aziz Ghazi. Other documentary credits include&nbsp;Pakistan’s Hidden Shame&nbsp;(Channel 4 UK, ABC Australia),&nbsp;Shabeena’s Quest&nbsp;(Al-Jazeera World),&nbsp;Terror's Children&nbsp;(Discovery), and&nbsp;Shame&nbsp;(Paramount / Showtime), profiling sexual violence survivor and international human rights icon Mukhtaran Mai. An alumnus of festivals including Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, and Berlin, Mo is also the recipient of the Television Academy Honor, Amnesty International Human Rights Award, and a Grand Prix from the United Nations Association Film Festival. Mo has been nominated for an Emmy, an Independent Spirit Award, a Cinema Eye Honor, and the UNESCO-FELLINI Prize.

THE ACCUSED

Against the backdrop of Pakistan's elections, this film follows the rise of powerful cleric Khadim Hussain Rizvi on a mission to preserve the country's blasphemy laws, which prescribe a mandatory death sentence for disrespecting the Prophet Muhammed.

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Session 24

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