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| | | | | | Eight years ago, on the afternoon of August 19, 2003, a suicide bomber parked a truck at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq-directly below the window of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights who was serving as the Secretary-General's special envoy to Iraq; over 20 people were killed, including Vieira de Mello. Each year, the United Nations General Assembly commemorates the attack on U.N. headquarters in Iraq by celebrating World Humanitarian Day.
This year, the California Independent Film Festival (CAIFF), Lamorinda Film and Entertainment Foundation, and Orinda Theatre are sponsoring the presentation of the Sundance Award winning documentary Sergio, with the United Nations Association-USA East Bay Chapter. The movie will be screened at the Orinda Theatre on Saturday, August 13, at 10:00 a.m.
"This is a very compelling documentary, both in the way the movie was done and the message it carries," says CAIFF's Beau Behan, the manager of the Orinda and New Rheem theaters. "The heart of our mission at CAIFF is to put out the universal language of cinema for everyone to share. This film does that, and we are very proud to support World Humanitarian Day that way."
Vieira de Mello had worked for the U.N. for 34 years and was known as the official who could be handed some of the most difficult tasks - Cambodia, East Timor, Sarajevo, Bosnia and many more. Before his death, he was considered a likely candidate for Secretary-General.
Sergio director Greg Barker describes Vieira de Mello as a cross between James Bond and Bobby Kennedy-the only U.N. representative who was able to charm George Bush.
For more information about the movie, go to www.sergiothemovie.com.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA