News Release

Date:Toronto   October 31, 2008  

SCREENING OF MY OPPOSITION: THE DIARIES OF FRIEDRICH KELLER TO MARK SEVENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF KRISTALLNACHT AT THE U.N.

CCI Entertainment would like to announce that The United Nations Department of Public Information, in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Germany and Israel, have organized a panel discussion titled Nowhere to turn and film screening of My Opposition: The Diaries of Friedrich Kellner on 10 November to mark the seventieth anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night-long spree of anti-Jewish violence in Germany on 9 and 10 November 1938, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, which signalled the turning point that would lead to the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust.

Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, will welcome the afternoon panellists, who will include Gabriela Shalev, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations; David Engel, Holocaust scholar and Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University; Gary Phillips, an eyewitness to Kristallnacht; Pan Guang, Director and Professor of the Shanghai Centre for International Studies and Institute of Eurasian Studies at Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and Dean of the Centre of Jewish Studies Shanghai; and Alizabeth Newman, Director of Immigrant Initiatives and Instructor at the City University of New York School of Law.  Eric Falt, Director of the Outreach Division of the Department of Public Information, will moderate the panel.  The webcast of the discussion will be archived at www.un.org/holocaustremembrance.

The evening programme, featuring the documentary film My Opposition: The Diaries of Friedrich Kellner, will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The film chronicles the rise of the Nazi party and reveals its brutal tactics, as recorded in secret at great personal risk by Friedrich Kellner, whose grandson, Scott Robert Kellner, will be joined by Thomas Matussek, Permanent Representative of Germany, in highlighting the historical value of the diaries and the inherent dangers of totalitarianism.  Ramu Damodaran, Deputy Director of the Outreach Division, will moderate. Produced and directed by Toronto based Arnie Zipursky and Fern Levitt, and written by Fern Levitt, this courageous story is one audiences will not forget.

Both events are organized by the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme of the Outreach Division, which is mandated by General Assembly resolution 60/7 to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.  Its activities include a film series, seminars, training seminars, discussion papers and innovative online information products.  For more information, please contact Kimberly Mann at 212 963 6835 or at mann@un.org.

The panel discussion and film screening will be open to Member States, United Nations staff, members of the non-governmental organization community and the public.  All guests must pre-register at holocaustremembrance@un.org or by fax to 212 963 0563.

CCI Entertainment Ltd. (Cambium Catalyst International)
CCI Entertainment is one of Canada's leading independent production and distribution companies, particularly recognized in the area of family programming. 
                           
My Opposition: The Diaries of Friedrich Kellner was produced in association with Global Television, a division of CanWest MediaWorks Inc and with the participation of the Canadian Television Fund and the participation of the Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit with the assistance of the Government of Ontario – The Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit.  Produced with the participation of the Rogers Documentary Fund.

For further information and/or interview opportunities with Dr. Kellner, Arnie Zipursky, or Fern Levitt, please contact:
Allie Dunlap
CCI Entertainment
+1 (416) 583-2938

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