Monterey Bay Chapter Presents its 12th Annual International Film Festival

On November 3, 4 and 5, the Monterey Bay UNA-USA Chapter will present its 12th Annual International Film Festival, at the historic, gorgeous, 1,000-seat Golden State Theatre in downtown Monterey, CA. The festival will include 15 excellent and very diverse international documentary films concerning critical global issues, presented over four sessions.

For the first few years, this festival was a traveling event of the UNAFF, and now for several years it has grown as an independent, all volunteer event. In 2010, the festival attracted a record 2,350 people to its four film sessions, and generated 85 new UNA members and 85 renewals, right at the festival itself. It is talked about in the local community throughout the year, and this year, the City of Monterey has declared November 1 to 7 to be "12th International Film Festival Week" throughout Monterey. It has often been a cover story in the local press.

This 2011 festival will include 15 films from countries as diverse as Senegal, China, Libya, Moldova, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Israel, Ivory Coast, Haiti and the US. They deal with global issues such as citizen activism over pollution, immigration, sex trafficking, this year's revolutions in the Arab world, and female genital mutilation, among many others. This year six of the films are recent Academy Award nominees or winners in the documentary categories, more than ever before.

This event depends on the dedication and enthusiasm of our UNA volunteers. We have been working since February to search the world for current, engaging, and issue-oriented documentaries to include in our program. Thanks to 13 organizational sponsors, plus individual sponsors from our UNA membership, we have been able to keep the admission price amazingly low, just $5 per session of 3 to 5 films, with FREE admission for all students. Our goal is to raise consciousness about global issues and the work of the UN and UNA-USA, not to raise funds.

Full information about the festival and its program of films is available at www.unamontereybay.org under Future Events.