Local 'Orwellian nightmare' off to Hawaii Festival

Local 'Orwellian nightmare' off to Hawaii Festival and up for local film award

Raids documentary off to Hawaii Film Festival and up for local award
"Orwellian nightmare" Operation 8: Deep in the forest being seen far and wide

From: CUTCUTCUT Films
13 October 2011

Feature documentary Operation 8: Deep in the forest, which investigates the 2007 police raids, will have its US premiere in Hawaii on the 21st of October as an official selection of the Hawaii International Film Festival.

Back home the film will also be shown in cinemas around New Zealand on or around the 15th of October to mark the forth anniversary of the raids. The film has also been selected as a finalist for best feature documentary in the upcoming Aotearoa Film and Television Awards.

“As we approach the 4 year anniversary of the raids, a lot people are still trying to make sense of what happened on October 15 2007. We hope the film can help people understand how and why this occurred”. Says producer and co-director Errol Wright.

“The film doesn’t make any claims of innocence or guilt. It lays out the information in a way that is digestible and isn’t sensational. Ultimately we hope viewers make up their own minds”. Says co-director Abi King-Jones.

The case changed dramatically last month when police withdrew charges against 13 of the accused following the Supreme Court ruling that police had knowingly used illegal surveillance - finding their criminal behavior to be more serious than the charges the Crown intended on pursuing against the 13.

The four remaining defendants, including Tame Iti, did not have their charges withdrawn due to a ‘criminal gang’ charge that was laid against the four a year after their arrests and after the deposition hearing was completed Because the criminal gang charge is considered a more serious charge, the Court ruled the illegal police surveillance would be admissible against them. The four will wait until at least February 2012 for a trial.

Operation 8 has been invited to a number of international festivals since its premiere including Melbourne, Agitprop (Philippines), Imagine India (Madrid) & Hawaii and has been showing in cinemas around New Zealand for the past few months.

The film has received praising 5 star reviews:
“Impassioned, balanced, entertaining and hugely important" - Graeme Tuckett
“Stands on it’s own merits and deserves to be seen and debated” – Russell Ballie
“A down-home Orwellian nightmare. Outstanding” – Helen Martin

Details at:
http://www.cutcutcut.com/Operation8.html

ENDS

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