Island of the Hungry Ghosts + Panel Discussion 12A

Island of the Hungry Ghosts takes place on the remote and extraordinary Christmas Island. Home to few human inhabitants, it’s famous for one of the world’s largest land migrations – that of 50 million crabs making their voyage to the ocean’s edge. But the island has a more troubling relationship with human migration, with its jungle hiding Australia’s biggest offshore refugee detention centre. The only connection to the outside world for these asylum seekers is trauma counsellor Poh Lin Lee. In the intimacy of her therapy sessions, Poh Lin feels the oncoming dystopia, as the mental state of her clients begin to unravel.

Winner of the Best Documentary award at Tribeca, the first feature documentary from Gabrielle Brady is a lyrical and deeply moving study of humanity's capacity for both compassion and cruelty.

This screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring expert speakers addressing the issues raised in the film around immigration, detention and asylum.

Panellists:
Sarah Perks, Executive Producer, Island of the Hungry Ghosts.
Anne Burghgraef, Clinical Director, Solace, Leeds.
Charles Obiri, Former Asylum Seeker and Ex-Detainee, City of Sanctuary, Sheffield.

Host:
Melanie Iredale, Interim Director, Sheffield Doc/Fest.

Doc/Nights is a new collaboration with Sheffield Doc/Fest; monthly screenings presenting the best new documentary cinema with special introductions, Q&As and panel discussions.