DOWNLOAD THE FULL AUDIO HERE (right-click to save)
Last spring I had the pleasure of meeting Marty Syjuco and Michael Collins, the producer and director of Reel Awareness' opening night film, Give Up Tomorrow. Since then they have been travelling the globe promoting the film and raising awareness about the case of Paco Larranaga, a man who was unjustly accused and sentenced to death for the murder of two young women in the Philippines.
Give Up Tomorrow is the perfect film to open Reel Awareness as Amnesty International celebrates its 50th year. Both the film and Amnesty's anniversary illustrate the fact that while great work and progress in human rights has been made, there is still much work that lies ahead. People who have seen the film are aware that, thanks to activist organizations such as Amnesty International, the death penalty was eventually abolished in the Philippines. But Paco remains incarcerated in a Spanish prison due to an international agreement between Spanish and the Filipino governments. On top of this, there are many countries in which death sentences are a norm. Who knows how many cases like Paco's are out there?
Marty and Michael are very excited that Give Up Tomorrow has been selected to open Reel Awareness. Unfortunately they are not able to attend the festival, so I took the opportunity to catch up with them via Skype, to discuss recent developments surrounding the promotion of the film, Paco's case and the Free Paco Now campaign. Here is the recording.
- Renee Saviour (programmer)
Last spring I had the pleasure of meeting Marty Syjuco and Michael Collins, the producer and director of Reel Awareness' opening night film, Give Up Tomorrow. Since then they have been travelling the globe promoting the film and raising awareness about the case of Paco Larranaga, a man who was unjustly accused and sentenced to death for the murder of two young women in the Philippines.
Give Up Tomorrow is the perfect film to open Reel Awareness as Amnesty International celebrates its 50th year. Both the film and Amnesty's anniversary illustrate the fact that while great work and progress in human rights has been made, there is still much work that lies ahead. People who have seen the film are aware that, thanks to activist organizations such as Amnesty International, the death penalty was eventually abolished in the Philippines. But Paco remains incarcerated in a Spanish prison due to an international agreement between Spanish and the Filipino governments. On top of this, there are many countries in which death sentences are a norm. Who knows how many cases like Paco's are out there?
Marty and Michael are very excited that Give Up Tomorrow has been selected to open Reel Awareness. Unfortunately they are not able to attend the festival, so I took the opportunity to catch up with them via Skype, to discuss recent developments surrounding the promotion of the film, Paco's case and the Free Paco Now campaign. Here is the recording.
- Renee Saviour (programmer)
