Survivors: Hope and Resilience in the Time of Ebola

“Our film is not just to show the world what happened in Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak and how we survived it, but rather to bring our own perspective to an issue that will have the ability to define us and our country for a long, long time. – Arthur Pratt, Filmmaker

In 2014, Sierra Leone faced one of the most acute public health crises of the modern era. The Ebola outbreak propelled the country into a great fight to contain the virus and stop its transmission. Schools were closed and travel between regions was suspended. In 21 months, 28,000 people became infected; only half of them would survive.

Through the eyes of Arthur Pratt, a filmmaker and pastor in Sierra Leone, Survivors chronicles the deeply personal stories at the epicenter of the epidemic and vividly captures the bravery and humanity of the people caught in an unfolding crisis. Through intimate vérité footage of an ambulance driver, a nurse at an emergency treatment center, and a 12-year-old boy living on the streets, the film explores how the epidemic ravaged families and communities, and reveals both a broken infrastructure and the deep misunderstandings between international aid organizations and the communities they serve.

Join New America NYC at Betaworks Studios for a conversation that examines what local and international forces can do to better respond to pandemics and the critical role of both the media and the artist in documenting these global crises.

PARTICIPANTS

Arthur Pratt
Director and Producer, Survivors

Banker White @WeOwnTV
Co-Director and Producer, Survivors

Lansana ‘Barmmy Boy’ Mansaray @barmmyboy
Co-Director and Producer, Survivor

Sheri Fink MD @sherifink
Pulitzer-Prize winner author and New York Times Correspondent
Senior Future Tense Fellow, New America

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m with the screening beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Follow the conversation online using #SURVIVORSFilm and following @NewAmericaNYC.

Please be advised that the film contains material some guests may find distressing.