Filmmakers from around the world have called on governments to ensure that the necessary aid reaches survivors of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria that caused mass destruction and killed more than 46,000 people.
International filmmakers’ demands are as follows:
– The authorities of Turkey, Syria and the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government must open all border crossings unconditionally.
– Access to earthquake zones for aid organisations and volunteers must be facilitated.
– The neglect of certain areas in rescue, recovery and emergency care must end immediately.
– Humanitarian aid must not be blocked for political reasons.
– Accurate flow of information about earthquakes and “freedom of communication” must be ensured.
– All obstacles to the travel of relatives and kin of earthquake-affected people to and from earthquake zones should be removed – to Europe and everywhere else.
– There should be effective documentation of the aftermath of the earthquake and an independent investigation into its causes.
The declaration, signed by many prominent names from the cinema industry was initiated by Frankfurt-based aid and human rights organisation Medico International and the producer Mitos Film.
Among the signatories is Ayşe Polat, the director of the Kurdish film ‘In the Blind Spot‘, based on the story of a Saturday Mother, which will compete at the Berlinale International Film Festival starting on 23 February.
The filmmakers also called on their colleagues present at the Berlinale to spread their call and support the demands.
Medico International also launched a donation campaign for earthquake victims to direct aid to non-governmental organisations in the region.
