Anti-trafficking film competition and festival launched at BAFTA

Sr Marie Power, Rachel Sweetman, Sr Imelda Poole, Jon Hackett and Julian Shaw at the BAFTA launch. Image: ICN/JS

RENATE (Religious in Europe Networking Against Trafficking and Exploitation) launched its Film Competition and Festival on Anti-Trafficking BAFTA, in Central London - on Thursday, the eve of UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Julian Shaw of BAFTA said it, "was delighted to support Anti-Trafficking work and to host the film festival." The event's moderator was Jon Hackett, Director of Film and Communications at St Mary's, Twickenham.

Sr Imelda Poole IBVM and MBE, head of RENATE and based in Albania, reported that 70% of RENATE's 350+ members work directly with victims of modern-day slavery. "And trafficking covers more than sex trafficking" she said, "it can be labour trafficking and trafficking in human organs."

Sr Marie Power of TRAC (Trafficking Awareness-Raising and Campaigning) said that her organisation, formed by 16 religious congregations in the UK, and RENATE, "give victims a forum to tell their stories". She said the cheap clothes industry, car washes, fruit and vegetable fields, and nail bars are amongst the places where people can be found working and living in slave-like conditions. The religious help victims escape oppressive conditions to safe houses and some to return home. "We should decriminalise the victims, such as women in prostitution, and criminalise the buyers of sex," she suggested.

Both felt that film is an effective way to reach people. So, RENATE is inviting 16-24-year-olds in Europe to enter their film competition to raise awareness around human trafficking. Sometimes called modern slavery, it has been described by Pope Francis as a 'crime against humanity.'

Rachel Sweetman of RENATE said entrants are invited to produce a short film, up to four minutes long, individually or as part of a team, around the slogan 'Slavery- Human Trafficking - Near YOU!' and some or all the tags #StopTheDemand, #BreakTheChains, #EndTheCycleTOGETHER.

The deadline for entries is 20 August 2021. Advice for entrants is available on the RENATE events website. Competition winners will receive £2000 for first place, £1000 for second place, and £500 for third place. The prize money is per entry, so if entering as a team the prize money will be shared between team members.

Winning entries will be shown in London at RENATE's Film Festival on 12 September 2021 in two separate venues. All three winning entries will be shown to the public at the Royal Society of Arts and the overall winner will be shown at a private viewing at BAFTA Piccadilly. The Film Festival will also show films made by RENATE members and friends.

The goal of this film festival is to expose the plight of modern-day slaves by providing a platform for victims and survivors to share their stories and the impact it has had on their lives; to encourage people to combat modern slavery; and to showcase the work of Religious across Europe who care for the victims whilst advocating for legislative change to end the practice.

Lord Alton of Liverpool told ICN: "RENATE has been a tenacious and fearless defender of the countless people sucked into the nets of human traffickers. RENATE's formidable President, Imelda Poole, and the multitalented Julie Etchingham deserve our gratitude for promoting innovative ways of increasing public awareness of the consequences of human trafficking."

He added: "RENATE's forthcoming Film Festival and the European Day Against Human Trafficking (18 October) are both opportunities to alert the general public to this continuing crime against humanity and to shine a light into the dark places from which the traffickers operate."

If you would like to attend the Film Festival on 12 September, or you would like to enter the competition, visit the RENATE events website at www.renateevents.net.