- More Than Just Mullahs and Catastrophes

- The media often present countries such as Iran in the light of war and catastrophes. The country is presented as equivalent to mullahs and executions. The hope is that Films from the South will correct this and present a more nuanced view on the country, says the founder and chairman of the board of the festival Dag Asbjørnsen.

Av Eline Vik Skogen, foto: Eline Vik Skogen 12. okt 2008

-The concept South is meaningless. I must say this though the festival is very good. These are the words of Minister of International Development Erik Solheim taken from his speech held at the opening of this year’s Films from the South. Solheim used Japan and South Korea as examples of countries in quite different financial situations than the countries we normally consider as belonging to the group South. Their geographical position is also quite far from the South.
– The only thing these countries have in common is that they are far away from us, said the minister of development. Later he closed by saying:
- I’ve presented a few critical comments on the concept South. Don’t let this dominate the fact that this is an amazing event!

- We have joked about it a lot, Dag Asbjørnsen says.
- Calling Japan South is absurd. The goal of this festival is exactly what Erik Solheim addressed in his speech. That the media, especially when it comes to news, but also within film, creates stereotypes in the form that there is a general Asian, a general African, a general south American. And often countries are presented in the light of war and catastrophes, for instance Iran where the light seems to be solely on mullahs and executions. The hope is that Films from the South will correct this and present a more nuanced view.