Monday, August 11, 2008

El Contrato film night




No-One is Illegal Ottawa is pleased to present our first film night!

On Wednesday, August 13, No-One is Illegal will be having our first public event, with a film showing of 'El Contrato'.

The award-winning 'El Contrato' follows Teodoro Bello Martinez, a poverty-stricken father of four living in Central Mexico, and several of his countrymen as they make an annual migration to southern Ontario. For eight months of the year the town's population absorbs 4,000 migrant labourers who pick tomatoes for conditions and wages few local residents would accept. Under a well-meaning government program that allows growers to monitor themselves, the opportunity to exploit workers is as ripe as the fruit they pick. Grievances are deflected by a long line of others "back home" who are willing to take their place. Despite a fear of repercussions, the workers voice their desire for dignity and respect, as much as for better working conditions. El Contrato ends as winter closes in and the Mexicans pledge, not for the first time and possibly not the last, that it's their final season in the north.

The film night will take place at Umi Café, 610 Somerset Street West, at 7pm-10pm.

This event has a suggested donation of $5 (nobody will be turned away). It is a wheelchair accessible event.

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No One is Illegal (NOII) Ottawa is a coalition of migrants and allies that advocates and fights for the rights, dignity, and respect of immigrants and refugees, as well as those living without status in Canada. We also stand in solidarity with aboriginal struggles to have their rights to land and free movement respected.

Umi Café is a cooperatively run cafe in the heart of Ottawa's Chinatown. They specialize in Fair Trade organic coffee grown by indigenous peasant cooperatives in the South.