Films Across Borders: Stories of Water

"The Ghost Fleet "

6:30 Light Refreshments

7 :00 pm Program Begins

The Ghost Fleet is a documentary feature that uncovers the vast injustice of slavery in the Thai fishing industry through thrilling escape stories. Thailand supplies a large portion of America’s seafood, but Thailand’s giant fishing fleet is chronically short tens of thousands of fishermen per year. Human traffickers have stepped in, selling captives from the region to the captains for a few hundred dollars each.

Once at sea, the men may never return to land – unless they escape. These boats work the islands of Indonesia and Thailand, but also off the coasts of West Africa and Europe. Attempts to “certify” where fish come from, and who is catching it, are in the works but are currently hit-and-miss. In the meantime, as fishing stocks are depleted and commercial fishing operations toiling under tighter and tighter budgets, the need for slave labor grows. Threats and punishments do too.

Next time you order a fish in a restaurant or buy it from a freezer at your local shop, ask yourself, who caught this fish?

Following screening there will be a panel discussion featuring Jon Bowermaster, filmmaker and Mercedes García Pérez, Head of Global Issues & Innovation, Delegation of the European Union to the U.S. Panel discussion will be moderated by Maggie Burnette Stogner, executive director, Center for Environmental Filmmaking.

Malsi Doyle and Michael Forman Theater (McKinley Building)

American University School of Communication

4400 Massachusetts Ave NW - Washington, DC 20016

Reservations (recommended): https://TheGhostFleetAU.eventbrite.com

This event is first come, first seated. Reservations are encouraged.

CO-PRESENTED BY:

AU School of Communication

AU School of Public Affairs

Center for Environmental Filmmaking

Delegation of the European Union to the U.S.

More Info: http://www.FilmsAcrossBorders.org