UNICEF NZ brings The Carrier to Film Festival

UNICEF NZ (UN Children’s Fund)
Media Release
Wednesday 21 March


UNICEF NZ brings The Carrier to the NZ International Documentary Edge Film Festival

UNICEF NZ is bringing four children’s rights documentaries to the screen at the upcoming Documentary Edge Film Festival. The festival, which opens in Auckland on 26 April and will continue in Wellington from 17 May, will include the highly acclaimed film The Carrier.

The Carrier is a powerful story of one woman’s journey as she comes to terms with HIV and the impact the virus is having on her family and community. 28-year-old Mutinta Mweemba is caught in a desperate struggle to stop the disease being passed onto her unborn child.

Every day around the world about 1,000 children are newly infected with HIV. Vulnerable newborns can contract the virus from their HIV positive mothers during pregnancy, labour or delivery. Without treatment, a third of babies with HIV won't live to see their second birthday.

The good news is that there is a way to stop this happening by giving medication to pregnant mothers and newborns and UNICEF NZ is supporting mothers to do this.

UNICEF NZ’s International Advocacy Manager, Sarah Morris said, “We have worked with the director and producer of The Carrier to bring this documentary to New Zealand for the first time. More people need to know about this issue so that we can bring about an AIDS free generation.”

The audience will have the opportunity to watch an interview with New York director, Maggie Betts, after the documentary has screened. Maggie will share how her special interest in bringing about an HIV free generation in Africa inspired her to direct her first film, The Carrier.

“I think Kiwis will relate to this film. It’s not a dry clinical story about HIV, it’s a love story really, about marriage, family and the hopes we all have for our children,” says Morris.

The 2012 Documentary Edge Film Festival will be held at Event Cinema’s Newmarket, Auckland and Angelika at Reading Cinemas, Wellington. The Carrier, which has a screening in Auckland on 13th May for Mother’s Day, will be shown alongside other UNICEF sponsored films including Dolphin Boy, The Last Days of Winter and Mother – Caring for 7 Billion.

Donate to UNICEF’s HIV appeal to help mothers stop the transmission of their HIV to their babies - visit www.unicef.org.nz/HIV-Childrens-Appeal
For more information about the Documentary Film Festival and for screening times and ticket sales – visit http://www.docnz.org.nz/2012/ak/

-ENDS-

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.

The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.

UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Every $1 donated to us is worth at least $10 in the field thanks to the way we work in partnership with governments, local NGOs and other partners.

www.unicef.org.nz

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