Relocating this year from Facets Cinematheque to Gene Siskel Film Center, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival runs Friday, May 18, through Wednesday, May 30. Tickets are $11, $7 for students, and $6 for Film Center members. Following are reviews of selected films through May 30; for a full schedule see siskelfilmcenter.org.
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The List This informative documentary calls attention to the tens of thousands of Iraqis currently targeted by extremists in their own land for having assisted reconstruction efforts by the United States Agency for International Development. Their predicament is not only tragic but also infuriating, because the U.S. government has denied most of them refugee status. Director Beth Murphy (Beyond Belief) highlights the privately funded efforts of Kirk Johnson, a former USAID employee, to help these people escape political persecution. His story is uplifting but, given the huge number of Iraqis still in the crosshairs, hardly cause for optimism. In English and some subtitled Arabic. —Ben Sachs 84 min. Murphy and Andrea Prasow of Human Rights Watch lead a discussion at the Friday screening. Fri 5/18 and Mon 5/21, 8 PM
