Victoria Premiere of Award-winning Fair Trade Coffee Exposé BLACK GOLD.
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OPEN CINEMA & Ethical Purchasing Forum Presents
Victoria Premiere of Award-winning Fair Trade Coffee Exposé BLACK GOLD.
06/02/07 Victoria, BC – On Tuesday February 20 2007, OPEN CINEMA and the Ethical Purchasing Forum will partner to screen the Victoria premiere of the critically-acclaimed documentary Black Gold: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2006), followed by discussion about the implications of fair trade with Level Ground Trading director Stacey Toews; Canadian Student Fair Trade Network E.D., Ian Hussey; Greater Victoria Ethiopian Association Chair Moges Kebede and UVic PhD student Mekonnen Aragaw.
According to the Sundance Film Festival, where the film debuted in 2006, “Black Gold is a moving and eye-opening look into the 80-billion-dollar global coffee industry, where the spoils of overpriced lattes and cappuccinos are sparsely shared with the farmers who make it all possible.” “It threatens to do for the coffee industry what Super Size Me did for fast food: Shock consumers into thinking again about what they are buying.” (Ben Hoyle, The Times, London).
This superb and visually stunning film gives impoverished Ethiopian coffee farmers a voice, as they struggle to get their fair share of the exploding international coffee market, which has become one of the most valuable trading commodities in the world market. Meanwhile, Seattle coffee giant Starbucks has launched a campaign to discredit the film, despite refusing repeated invitations to participate. “This is not a film specifically about Starbucks”, say filmmakers Nick and Mark Francis. “It’s a film about the winners and losers in the global coffee industry and it shows the daily reality for millions of coffee farmers.”
The screening and discussion will kick off the BC Institute for Co-operative Studies’ Ethical Purchasing Forum at UVic, February 23 & 24, which will include panel discussions, workshops, a marketplace and a dinner/dance. For further information visit www.ethicalpurchasing.bcics.org.
What: Black Gold: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2006)
When: 7pm, Tuesday 20 February 2007 (doors at 5.30pm)
Where: Hermann’s Jazz Club, 753 View St. (388-9166)
Tickets: $5-10 sliding scale donation
Guests: Stacey Toews, Ian Hussey, Moges Kebede, Mekonnen Aragaw
Reservations: Please call Hermann’s Jazz Club 388-9166
(NB: reservations guaranteed only until 6.45pm).
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Contact: Mandy Leith
Email: opencinema@shaw.ca
Phone: (250) 882-7441
Backgrounder follows
BACKGROUNDER
1. Black Gold: (2006)
2. Ethical Purchasing Forum
3. Stacey Toews, Level Ground Trading
4. Ian Hussey, Canadian Student Fairtrade Network
5. Moges Kebede, Chair, Greater Victoria Ethiopian Association
6. Mekonnen Aragaw, UVic PhD Environmental studies student
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Black Gold: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2006, 77mins)
For more information, including press reviews, Starbucks backlash and trailer visit: www.blackgoldmovie.com -
Ethical Purchasing Forum
The Ethical Purchasing Forum: Co-operating for Locally Based Regional Alternatives, February 23rd & 24th at the University of Victoria.
The Ethical Purchasing Forum is designed to bring together co-operatives, businesses, activists, faith groups, academics, indigenous organisations, farmers, labour groups and politicians to collaborate in enhancing ethical trade in the Victoria region.
The forum is being organized by The BC Institute for Co-operative Studies, in collaboration with the Canadian Student Fair Trade Network, Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group (VIPIRG), Values Based Business Network, Canadian Social Economy Hub, the UVIC Sustainability Project and local ethical purchasing advocates, with support from Mountain Equipment Co-op. For more information visit: http://www.ethicalpurchasing.bcics.org/
- Stacey Toews
Stacey Toews is passionate about social justice. During the past 10 years Stacey has increasingly put his attention toward a company he co-founded in 1997, Level Ground Trading. Level Ground Trading was established to respond to evident inequities in the global marketplace, focusing primarily on coffee as a means to Trade Fairly and directly with producers in developing nations. Level Ground now has direct trading relationships with producer groups in 6 developing countries & each trading relationship funds development initiatives such as health care or education in producer communities.
Stacey also founded a society called Fair Trade Concepts in 1999 in order to ‘educate consumers for ethical choices’. Through Fair Trade Concepts Stacey speaks to 3000+ people across Canada each year – usually one classroom at a time. Stacey speaks primarily to students helping them understand the global impact of their consumption habits and urging them to rethink their purchasing choices to support values based businesses
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Ian Hussey
Originally from Nova Scotia, Ian Hussey is the Executive Director of the Canadian Student Fair Trade Network (CSFTN). He is also currently completing a Masters in Sociology at the University of Victoria. -
Moges Kebede – Greater Victoria Ethiopian Association
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, Mogus’ grandfather owned a coffee farm. He witnessed Ethiopian coffee farmers struggle to feed their families, unable to send their children to school or look after their family health. “I have seen lots of coffee farmers giving up their coffee farm and replacing with Qhat, a narcotic drug-like plant. Very sad!”
Moges has been living in Victoria for about 16 years. He is currently working with the BC Pension Corporation and is the acting chair of the Greater Victoria Ethiopian Association. In his spare time he sells Ethiopian coffee at local festivals and markets.
- Mekonnen Aragaw
Mekonnen is in Victoria doing a PhD research in School of Environmental Studies at UVic, working in the field of energy and development. He has a Masters degree in Energy Economics and a BA in Economics. He has previously worked for 13 years as Civil Servant - heading energy planning work in Ethiopia, 6 years as Senior Program Officer for a Netherlands Development Organization, and most recently he has headed the department of rural development for United Nations in Kosovo. The author of a number of publications in the field of energy, the environment, and development management, Mekonnen has contributed to the advancement of development approaches and ‘best practices’ in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mandy Leith
Executive Director and Founder
OPEN CINEMA
(250) 882-7441
opencinema@shaw.ca
http://www.opencinema.ca/
OPEN CINEMA is a non-profit society dedicated to exploring the innovative use of film as a tool for social engagement around the issues of our time.
OC would like to thank its sponsors: VanCity, Capital Regional District Arts Development, City of Victoria, National Film Board of Canada (NFB), Hollyhock, CineVic, MediaNet and the Victoria Film Producers’ Association (ViFPA).
And special thanks to new sponsors Laurel Point Inn and Harbour Air!
