“My songs did not make me famous. The fatwa did.” Sentenced to
death for blasphemy, exiled to Germany, and forced to live in hiding,
Iranian musician Shahin Najafi was found guilty. His crime? Writing
hip-hop songs about controversial subjects like censorship, theocracy
and, most incendiary 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.
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 Fassihi, senior writer for the Wall Street Journal
This program is brought to you by FOLCS in collaboration with Artistic
Freedom Initiative (AFI) and Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
AFI, a program of the SDK Foundation for Human Dignity, provides pro
bono immigration representation and facilitates resettlement
assistance to international artists at risk. CHRI is a non-profit
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.
All the revenue from this event goes to support awareness, Human
Rights research, education and community programs
NEW YORK University School of Law has a financial hardship policy. For
more information, please contact Shervin Abachi at
shervin.abachi@folcs.org.
culture
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cinema
education
politics
video maker
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23/03/2018 Last update