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When atrocities are committed in countries held hostage by ruthless dictators, Human Rights Watch sends in the Emergencies Team, a collection of fiercely intelligent individuals who document war crimes and report them to the world.

Synopsis

When atrocities are committed in countries held hostage by ruthless dictators, Human Rights Watch sends in the E-Team (Emergencies Team), a collection of fiercely intelligent individuals who document war crimes and report them to the world. Within this volatile climate, award-winning filmmakers Ross Kauffman and Katy Chevigny take us to the front lines in Syria and Libya, where shrapnel, bullet holes, and unmarked graves provide mounting evidence of atrocities by government forces. The crimes are rampant, random, and often unreported—making the E-Team's effort to get information out of the country and into the hands of media outlets, policy makers, and international tribunals even more necessary. Cinematography Award US Documentary, Sundance Film Festival 2014

 

The Emergencies Division at Human Rights Watch deploys as crises and conflicts are underway to impact the situation in real time. Working closely with Human Rights Watch's regional and thematic divisions, the team brings expertise in human rights crises and the laws of war to document and publicise atrocities. Its findings influence governments and policy makers to better protect civilians in war and to hold accountable those responsible for egregious abuse.

To learn more on this topic visit HRW.org

Credits

Katy Chevigny

Director, Producer

Katy Chevigny is an award-winning filmmaker and a co-founder of Big Mouth Productions and Arts Engine. Chevigny’s films have been shown theatrically, on HBO, Cinemax, POV, Independent Lens, NBC, Arte/ZDF, Britain’s Channel 4, and others and have played at film festivals around the world, including Sundance, Tribeca, Full Frame, SXSW, IDFA, Sheffield and Berlin.

Ross Kaufman

Director, Producer, Director of Photography

Ross Kauffman is the Academy Award winning director, producer, cinematographer and co-editor of BORN INTO BROTHELS, winner of the Oscar® for Best Documentary 2005. Ross is currently working on a variety of projects, including; RIGHT ON RED, a comedic scripted feature film about a gay couple trying to adopt a newborn baby from a drug-addicted pregnant woman and her abusive lesbian partner, and the documentary WAIT FOR ME, chronicling the story of a mother’s spiritual and emotional search for her son who went missing twenty-three years ago.

Marilyn Ness

Producer

Marilyn Ness is a two-time Emmy Award-winning documentary producer. She produced Katy Chevigny and Ross Kauffman's feature documentary E-TEAM and Johanna Hamilton's feature documentary 1971, both premiering in 2014. She is currently a partner at Big Mouth Productions and produces and directs feature length documentaries as well as short films for non-profits.