Eyes Wide Open brings documentaries about poverty to Wgtn

Eyes Wide Open brings two documentaries about global poverty to Wellington

From Australian Filmmaker Lincoln Fenner & New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristof.

Films to be screened at City Gallery in September 2013.

Eyes Wide Open is proud to announce it is bringing two thought-provoking documentaries about global poverty to Wellington – stories from those who are forging new pathways to break the poverty cycle, and how the lives we live may impact that.

The first movie More 4 Me won the Times Square Audience Award at the New York International Film Festival for best documentary, and Filmaker Lincoln Fenner is being hailed as Australian's answer to Michael Moore. The documentary will screen at City Gallery on Monday 2 September (7pm).

In the face of the global financial crisis, More 4 Me follows Lincoln on a journey across five continents in search of why we constantly have a craving for more. “If I was to ask you ‘what’s the one thing you can’t live without?’ you might say your mobile phone or plasma TV. On the other hand you may say a cup of dirty drinking water. It would depend where in the world you were born,” said Fenner.

The second movie Half the Sky takes it names from the New York Times best-selling book written by Pulitzer Prize winners, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Aiming to turn oppression into opportunity for women worldwide, Half the Sky introduces women and girls who are living under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable, and fighting bravely to change them.

Travelling with Nick Kristof are America Ferrera, Diane Lane and Olivia Wilde, as they reflect on viable and sustainable options for empowerment and transformation for women. The documentary will screen at City Gallery on Wednesday 4 September (7pm).

“Daya Trust and Global Volunteer Network have collaborated as Eyes Wide Open to bring the only two screenings of these thought-provoking documentaries to New Zealand,” said Rochelle Stewart-Allen, founder of Daya Trust. “We believe in building awareness about life in developing countries, challenging preconceptions, and inspiring generosity and a desire to take action.”

All proceeds from the Wellington ticket sales go to Global Volunteer Network and Daya Trust’s work overseas to reduce poverty and its effects. More information is available here: www.facebook.com/eyeswideopennz , www.dayatrust.com and www.globalvolunteernetwork.org.

ENDS

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