The Vwa Fanm Project | 12 Cameras
www.vwafanm.glocalstories.org
Finalist at the Online Journalism Awards 2011
Life isn't easy for Haitian migrants living in the Dominican Republic. Many of them women and mostly undocumented, they are easy targets for trafficking and exploitation, and face the constant fear of deportation. But, given a digital camera and an audio recorder to document their stories of hope and struggle, some of the women have begun to find a stronger voice for themselves. This short documentary, part of a broader project called "Vwa Fanm" which means women's voices in Creole, gives an insight into the experiences of 12 Haitian migrant women as they take part in a multimedia storytelling workshop. Guided by media professionals, coaches and students they use these skills to create their own multimedia pieces.
This project was funded by the Knight Center for International Media at the University of Miami and was done in collaboration with the Jesuit Refugee and Migrant Service in the Dominican Republic. Parts of this work are also included in the final longer documentary titled "Crossing Hispaniola" which has been screened at several film festival across the world.
Video also available at on Link TV.
Credits:
Executive Director KCIM: Sanjeev Chatterjee
Advisor: Rich Beckman
Executive Producer: Irene Herrera
Video: Irene Herrera, Deborah Acosta, Alessandra Villaamil
Screenings:
* September 2012: Social Media Film Festival, Las Vegas.
* March 2012: WAMMFest: Women and Minorities in Media Festival
* March 2012: Screening for Women's Day- ACP Observatory on Migration
* September 2011: Austin Forum on Journalism in the Americas at The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas Photo exhibit, internet and screening.
*March 2011: Miami Dade College as part of Women's History Month at Miami Dade College
* March 2011: Three broadcasts of 12 Cameras on LINK TV
*February 2011: The Trust for the Americas- Organization of American States featured the women's pictures
*November 2010: Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Florida, USA . Won prize- 3rd place short documentary category
*October 2010: United Nations Association Film Festival, Stanford University, Palo Alto California, USA
* April 2010: Amnesty International Human Rights Art Film
Festival, Silver Spring, Maryland