films4peace on World Peace Day

As the heady highs of multiculturalism and global celebration from London’s Olympic summer begin to wane and we bid adieu to our foreign guests, we are left to reminisce over photos and homemade memory boxes (just us?) from happier times. Yet amidst our celebrations, in the world beyond the Olympic haze, it was business as usual for those who have committed their lives to promoting and fighting for peace.

Today is World Peace Day (Friday 21 September), an international UN day of ceasefire, a day for individuals, organisations and countries to demonstrate acts of peace. From Australia to Zimbabwe, hundreds of cultural institutions spanning the globe are coming together to support films4peace, the annual short film commission by PUMA.Peace.

Curated by Mark Coetzee, films4peace features 17 shorts created by some of the world’s most innovative contemporary artists as they share their vision of peace on film. From 35mm live action, experimental animation and fine art, this beautifully diverse range of films reflect not only the artist’s visions of peace but also their passion for the ever unifying cause of peace. As part of the many celebrations of World Peace Day, the films will be screened – for free – at cultural institutions around the world and hosted online, embracing this wild web of global connectivity that is the internet.

The London public screening will take place at London’s Design Museum from 12 to 4pm. No booking is required and the films are completely free, just like the conversations the commission hope to incite.

The London Word is excited to join the World Peace Day celebrations by hosting a selection of the 17 shorts:

Tom Gran and Kayleigh Gibbons

Magali Charrier

Peterson Kamwathi

Nandipha Mntambo

You can see all of the commissioned films on the PUMA.Peace website: www.films4peace.com

Image: Still from Peterson Kamwathi