When God Sleeps--Screening and Discussion
March 22, 2018 @ 7:30PM — 9:30PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Join us for a screening of the internationally acclaimed documentary film, When God Sleeps, and an evening of discussion addressing the world's current struggle over immigration, the commonalities that unite immigrant communities in our nation, and the importance of free expression. We'll hear critical perspectives from: Sara Nodjoumi, producer of When God Sleeps; Hadi Ghaemi, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI); Reza Mazaheri, immigration attorney and the Deputy Executive Director of Resettlement & Legal Services of Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI); - Farnaz Fasihi, senior writer for the Wall Street Journal.
"My songs did not make me famous. The fatwa did". That's what the Iranian musician Shahin Najafi says after being sentenced to death for blasphemy, exiled to Germany and forced to live in hiding. He is guilty of writing hip-hop songs about delicate subjects such as censorship, theocracy and, most of all, violence and discrimination against women. Armed only with the lyrics of his songs, rich in poetic, literary and philosophical references, and his live concerts, this story highlights the intimate and existential sides of a battle against silence. In the center, Shahin Najafi stands as an example to all migrants and refugees who strive to realize their hope for freedom.
This program is brought to you by FOLCS in collaboration with Artistic Freedom initiative (AFI), a program of the SDK Foundation for Human Dignity which provides pro bono immigration representation and facilitates resettlement assistance to international artists at risk, and The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) a nonprofit organization that promotes human rights to ensure a culture of respect for the human dignity and rights of all and to hold Iranian state actors accountable to their international obligations.
New York University School of Law has a financial hardship policy. For more information, please contact Shervin Abachi at shervin.abachi@folcs.org.