Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Mozilla, the non-profit behind the Firefox browser, is excited to support Rooftop Films in bringing a memorable evening of film and discussion to the theaters in Toronto, Austin, and Berlin. The short film programs examine the current state of the internet, and includes the critically acclaimed films “Wave,” “Artifice,” the international premiere of “Cellular,” and a timely new original short by Mozilla on misinformation and confirmation bias. All of the events are free with RSVP on the Rooftop Films website.
The series will start Tuesday, October 2nd at The Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Following the screening, Mozilla’s Executive Director Mark Surman will host a Q&A with filmmakers, and the audience will be invited to ask questions of the filmmakers on stage.
Our world is more connected today than ever before. It’s not all good, and it’s not all bad. But it’s all new, and it’s changing our human experience. We find love and connection on the Internet. And yet, hate flourishes as well. We join communities on the Internet, but in the process, we put ourselves in filter bubbles. Many of us make our livings on the Internet, while others lack access and are deprived of opportunity. Who are we in this connected world? And what does it mean for us IRL? Terms of Service will explore these questions through short films about you, me, and the Internet.
“As a not-for-profit, Mozilla makes products and technology to help keep the Web open, accessible, and safe for all,” says Michaela Smiley, Senior Brand Strategist at Mozilla, who is responsible for consumer education initiatives. “But, products and technology alone won’t make the Web a better place. People — everyday internet users — need to come together, so that we can all champion a more citizen centric internet. That’s why these film events are so important — to help people realize that the Internet is more than a utility, and so that they can help us take action to shape a more equitable Web.”
Rooftop Films has presented screenings of new films about the internet in New York City each of the past two summers as part of the Rooftop Films Summer Series, including a screening of short films that were presented in Brooklyn this past July. Following the success of the New York screenings, Rooftop Films and Mozilla are taking variations on those programs to additional cities around the world in collaboration with Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, the Austin Film Society and other organizations.
“As the subtitle for Mozilla’s IRL podcast states, ‘online life is real life,’” says Dan Nuxoll, artistic director of Rooftop films. “Too often we speak of the internet as if it is something that exists separate from our lived reality, when in fact it is a network that is interwoven with nearly every aspect of our professional, personal, and emotional lives. The films that we have chosen for this program explore some of the many unexpected connections made possible by the networked world, and we are excited to be partnering with an innovative organization like Mozilla to connect these films with bigger audiences in all over the world.”
