IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
Price: $350.00 Code: 2461 |
Directed by Harry Freeland
2013, 85 minutes
Purchase: $350 | Classroom Rental: $125
A story about human rights, deep-rooted superstition, and incredible strength, In The Shadow of the Sun explores the troubling increase of violence and brutal murders in Tanzania targeting people with albinism.
For hundreds of years people with albinism have been killed at birth and rejected by their communities. A lack of melanin means that people with albinism are left with little or no pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. This leads to epidemic rates of skin cancer and an average life expectancy of just 35 years in Africa.
In rural Tanzania, it is a belief that people with albinism are not African, leaving those suffering from the condition with little sense of racial identity in their white skin. Witch doctors have been known to spread a belief that the body parts of albino people will bring wealth and good fortune. Referred to as ‘White Ghosts' and ‘Devils' within their communities, the superstition surrounding them has grown so strong that people with albinism now fear for their lives.
Filmed over six years, In The Shadow Of The Sun tells the incredible story of two albino men as they attempt to follow their dreams in the face of prejudice and fear: Vedastus, a quietly determined 15-year-old, who still hopes of completing his education, and Josephat Torner, a young man who has dedicated his life to campaigning against the discrimination of his people.
In these two impassioned individuals, we recognize our most basic human needs: to belong to a community of others, to forge our own sense of personal identity, and the unimaginable lengths to which we must go to preserve our dignity.
Official Selection, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam
Official Selection, HotDocs
Official Selection, New York Human Rights Film Festival
Official Selection, London Human Rights Film Festival
* Official Selection, Western Psychological Association Film Festival
"Superstition and modern medicine clash in Harry Freeland's documentary "In the Shadow of the Sun," which explores the perilous existence of Tanzania's 170,000 albinos." - The New York Times
"Simply unforgettable." - Indiewire
"Rock-solid in terms of content, In the Shadow of the Sun is a fine example of how documentaries can cast international light on local heroes, those rare and inspirational figures of which civil-rights legends are haphazardly made." - The Hollywood Reporter
" Recommended . A useful resource for ethnographic projects in sociology, ethnic studies, genetics, human rights, and Africa studies." - Educational Media Reviews Online
"A powerful film about a disturbing situation, this is highly recommended." - Video Librarian
"A haunting film. For grades 9–college class discussions on how prejudices develop and methods to counteract such biases, this DVD serves as an excellent substrate." - National Science Teachers Association Recommends
2013, 85 minutes
Purchase: $350 | Classroom Rental: $125
A story about human rights, deep-rooted superstition, and incredible strength, In The Shadow of the Sun explores the troubling increase of violence and brutal murders in Tanzania targeting people with albinism.
For hundreds of years people with albinism have been killed at birth and rejected by their communities. A lack of melanin means that people with albinism are left with little or no pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. This leads to epidemic rates of skin cancer and an average life expectancy of just 35 years in Africa.
In rural Tanzania, it is a belief that people with albinism are not African, leaving those suffering from the condition with little sense of racial identity in their white skin. Witch doctors have been known to spread a belief that the body parts of albino people will bring wealth and good fortune. Referred to as ‘White Ghosts' and ‘Devils' within their communities, the superstition surrounding them has grown so strong that people with albinism now fear for their lives.
Filmed over six years, In The Shadow Of The Sun tells the incredible story of two albino men as they attempt to follow their dreams in the face of prejudice and fear: Vedastus, a quietly determined 15-year-old, who still hopes of completing his education, and Josephat Torner, a young man who has dedicated his life to campaigning against the discrimination of his people.
In these two impassioned individuals, we recognize our most basic human needs: to belong to a community of others, to forge our own sense of personal identity, and the unimaginable lengths to which we must go to preserve our dignity.
Official Selection, International Documentary Festival Amsterdam
Official Selection, HotDocs
Official Selection, New York Human Rights Film Festival
Official Selection, London Human Rights Film Festival
* Official Selection, Western Psychological Association Film Festival
"Superstition and modern medicine clash in Harry Freeland's documentary "In the Shadow of the Sun," which explores the perilous existence of Tanzania's 170,000 albinos." - The New York Times
"Simply unforgettable." - Indiewire
"Rock-solid in terms of content, In the Shadow of the Sun is a fine example of how documentaries can cast international light on local heroes, those rare and inspirational figures of which civil-rights legends are haphazardly made." - The Hollywood Reporter
" Recommended . A useful resource for ethnographic projects in sociology, ethnic studies, genetics, human rights, and Africa studies." - Educational Media Reviews Online
"A powerful film about a disturbing situation, this is highly recommended." - Video Librarian
"A haunting film. For grades 9–college class discussions on how prejudices develop and methods to counteract such biases, this DVD serves as an excellent substrate." - National Science Teachers Association Recommends