Anti-slavery movie screenings
The Salvation Army Media Release
Anti-slavery movie screenings to combat modern-day slavery
Wellington, 14 June 2007 - The Salvation Army and Rialto Distribution have teamed up for three charity screenings of the movie Amazing Grace in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch ahead of its general release.
Amazing Grace is a moving historical epic about the life of British anti-slavery pioneer William Wilberforce. Wilberforce, played by actor Ioan Gruffudd (Black Hawk Down, Hornblower) campaigned relentlessly to bring about the end of the transatlantic slave trade 200 years ago.
Three advance screenings of Amazing Grace will be held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Money raised from ticket sales will support The Salvation Army's child-focused anti-trafficking programme in Malawi, south-eastern Africa.
Each screening will be proceeded by a short talk highlighting the present day crime of human trafficking. The speakers at each location: Auckland - OXFAM Programme Director, Jane Foster; Wellington - Former Counter Trafficking worker (UK), Sandra Dickson; Christchurch - Salvation Army Social Justice Advocate, Chris Frazer.
Details about each screening, including ticket information, are given below.
Salvation Army Social Justice Advocate Chris Frazer says that the movie is a powerful portrayal of Wilberforce's single-minded determination to end the notorious slave trade.
'This year marks 200 years since the passage of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Act in 1807. Since that time there have been many advances in human rights, but the reality is that an estimated 27 million people are enslaved in the world today.
'The total figure, of which about 80 per cent are women and children, is more than twice the number of people taken from Africa during the whole of the slave trading in the 1800s.'
Mrs Frazer says that slavery is fuelled by extreme poverty and driven by demand for cheap labour, consumer goods and sexual services.
'Slavery is closely related to trafficking, where people are either coerced or forced across borders as reusable and expendable human commodities to be bought and sold at will.'
The Salvation Army's anti-trafficking programme in Malawi works with villages to try and prevent children from being trafficked, as well as offering child trafficking victims the chance for a new life.
Rialto Distribution Sales Manager Andrew Shreeve says that Rialto Distribution is pleased to be able to partner with The Salvation Army.
'The three charity screenings are a practical and entertaining way for Rialto Distribution and the general public to support The Salvation Army's anti-trafficking work in Malawi.'
More details about the movie are available at www.amazinggracemovie.co.nz
Screening details and ticket information
Auckland
Sunday, 8 July, starting at 7.30pm, Rialto Cinema, Newmarket
Ticket information: Major Janee Sawyer ph: 09-309-0113, Gerry Walker ph: 09-379-4150 Ext 844
Wellington
Sunday, 1 July, starting at 6pm, Reading Cinema, Courtenay Place
Ticket information: Chris Frazer ph: 04-802-6269 Ext 8314, Major Jeff Winterburn ph: 04-382-0741
Christchurch
Sunday, 24 June, starts at 6pm, Hoyts Regent on Worcester Cinema
Ticket information: Captains Moses &Linda Chan ph: 03-377-6440
ENDS