Docu on child soldiers
premieres in New York--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Probe,” the Philippines’ longest-running and most awarded television newsmagazine show, recently premiered at the Asia Society headquarters in New York with its documentary “Mga Batang Mandirigima” (“Child Soldiers”), becoming the first Filipino documentary to be screened by the renowned international organization.
Award-winning journalist and "Probe" producer Cheche Lazaro present the film to a diverse audience and was joined by Jo Becker of Human Rights Watch and Anjana Shakya of Beyond Beijing Committee for a panel discussion.
"I feel very honored for ‘Probe’ to have been invited by the Asia Society, which is very much into issues that span multi-cultural concerns. They even billed it as a ‘world premiere’ because it was the first time they were doing to screen a Philippine documentary," Lazaro said.
In the forum following the screening, a panel of experts from the Human Rights Watch, Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, and Women’s Commission for Refugee Women discussed the use of child soldiers in many conflict regions like Afghanistan, Angola and Nepal where similar situations are faced by children.
"Mga Batang Mandirigma" is a three-hour, three-part series about two young Western-educated Filipino Muslims who traced their roots in the Philippines and inevitably came face-to-face with the realities of being a Muslim in a predominantly Christian nation during a post 9/11 scenario.
The documentary also depicts the harsh experiences of child soldiers and children caught in the crossfire as the war rages, unraveling a story of a never-ending war as seen through the eyes of the innocent victims.
"Mga Batang Mandirigma" is produced by Probe Productions with the support of the United States Institute of Peace.
Asia Society is an international non-profit educational organization dedicated to building understanding and awareness of the more than 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. It conducts art exhibits and performances, film showing, lectures, seminars and conferences, publications and assistance to media, and materials and programs for students and teachers.
"Probe" is shown every Thursday on ABS-CBN after the "Insider."
http://www.malaya.com.ph/jun29/ente3.htm