29 Jun Experiencing the 2020 Free Speech Film Festival

Participating in American INSIGHT’s Free Speech Film festival has been an incredibly eye-opening experience. One of the powerful aspects of documentary film is the ability to convey human experiences that viewers may not be familiar with, in a compelling way. Despite possible novel information, film has a universality that can bridge a variety of divides to share important stories and messages.

I think this is especially important as the world navigates the impacts of coronavirus. Watching the participating films while in quarantine allows audiences to be transported to various locations from their homes, and learn about political and social movements that are occurring in the world. I have found that it has been very easy to get caught up in the news cycle pertaining to the pandemic, and forget about other social justice issues that are, in many cases, only exacerbated by the effects of lockdown measures. The films featured in this festival covered a broad range of topics and themes, and present a unique learning opportunity for audiences stuck at home. Getting a glimpse into these different fights for justice was an opportunity to educate myself on the various ways that free speech and democracy are playing out on the world stage.

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Corinne, 2020 American INSIGHT Intern, Scripps College 2021