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| Women in White |
| Original title |
Kvinner i hvitt |
| Type |
Documentaries |
| Director |
Gry Winther |
| Short summary |
In March 2003, Castro ordered the biggest crackdown in Cuba's recent history. While the world’s attention was on to the US invasion of Iraq, Castro arrested 75 men – journalists, writers and human rights activists – during three nights now known as “Black Spring”.
Two weeks after the arrests, in April 2003, the men’s wives, mothers, daughters and sisters gathered to pray for their loved ones, and there “Las Damas De Blanco” – or “The Women In White” was formed. Every Sunday since then, the women have dressed in white and silently walked the streets of Havana.
The Women In White are now the face of Cuba’s opposition – symbolizing the hope of human rights and freedom of speech in Cuba. Thus they are an increasing dilemma for the government, which conducts intense surveillance of the women. |
| Summary |
In 2009, Fidel Castro’s Cuban revolution celebrates its 50th anniversary. Since Castro came to power in 1959, he has led his country with an iron fist, developing an infamous system of informants and secret police to quiet the voices critical of his oppressive regime.
In March 2003, Castro ordered the biggest crackdown in recent history. While the world’s attention was on to the US invasion of Iraq, Castro arrested 75 men – journalists, writers and human rights activists – during three nights now known as “Black Spring”.
Two weeks after the arrests, in April 2003, the men’s wives, mothers, daughters and sisters gathered to pray for their loved ones, and there “Las Damas De Blanco” – or “The Women In White” was formed. Every Sunday since then, the women have dressed in white and silently walked the streets of Havana.
They campaign through all available means for the release of their men. The continued efforts and bravery of the women resulted in 5 prisoners being released in 2005 – the same year they received the prestigious Sakharov Peace Price awarded by the European Parliament. A total of 20 men have been released due to the efforts of the Women in White and the diplomacy of the Spanish Government.
The Women In White are now the face of Cuba’s opposition – symbolizing the hope of human rights and freedom of speech in Cuba. Thus they are an increasing dilemma for the government, which conducts intense surveillance of the women. |
| Screenplay |
Gry Winther |
| D.O.P |
Hallgrim Haug |
| Editor |
Jeff Malmberg |
| Composer |
John Graham |
| Sound |
Steven Ticknor |
| Producer |
Veslemøy Ruud Zwart |
| Production company |
Zwart Arbeid | 1158 26th Street #587 | Santa Monica CA 90402 | USA | tel + 1 310 230 3084 | fax + 1 310 2303086 |
| Country of origin |
Norway |
| Release date (national) |
2009-02-23 |
| Technical information |
| Format |
DIGIBETA |
| Colour |
Colour |
| Length in min's |
52 |
| International sales |
Nordic World - www.nordicworld.tv
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| Festival participation |
2009 Norwegian Short Film Festival, Grimstad
2009 Lithuania Human Rights Film Festival
2010 Human Rights FF of Donostia, San Sebastian, Spain
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| URL |
http://www.zwartarbeid.com |
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Director biography:
Gry Winther is an award-winning Norwegian journalist and independent documentary filmmaker who has covered international news and current affairs for 17 years. She moved to the US in January 2004, and is now a political correspondent registered with the US Foreign Press Centre working as a correspondent-stringer for Norwegian television (TV2), radio (P4) and newspapers (Aftenposten). She got an exclusive sit down with “Bush’s brain,” Karl Rove, at the White House in 2005, and interviewed Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger the same year. She has also interviewed Nobel Price winner Shirin Ebadi, and met with previous Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Khatami.
Among her documentaries are a portrait of Eva Joly – the Judge who lead the largest financial investigation ever conducted in Europe revealing the biggest corruption scandal in France at leading French oil company ELF (NRK 2000); a documentary about the U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Terje Rød-Larsen (a production which included interviews with Yasser Arafat, Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Abu Mazen (Mahmood Abbas)) (TV2 2002), and a documentary about the Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg on his bid for re-election in 2001 (NRK).
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