2005 Lew-Kopelew Prize for Sainap Gaschaiewa (“Coca”)
22.06.2005
Sainap Gaschaiewa from Chechnya, protagonist of Eric Bergkraut’s film “Coca” will be honored with the 2005 Lew Kopelew Prize for Peace and Human Rights. The award will be bestowed in Cologne, Germany, on November 20, 2005, by the Lew Kopelew Forum, and commemorates the work of the Russian dissident and writer. Since 1999, the Forum has honored individuals, projects, and organizations which are working in the spirit of Lew Kopelew who passed away in 1997. Two years ago, Israeli Uri Avnery and Palestinian Sari Nusseibeh were awarded the prize. Last year’s award went to the Polnish Cultural Community “Borussia”. The Lew Kopelew Forum, led by WDR chairperson Fritz Pleitgen, learned about Gaschaiewa through Bergkraut’s movie. “Coca - The Dove from Chechnya” (Production: Doc Productions, Zurich) is currently playing in Swiss cinemas.
Abductions, torture, and murder: Since 1994, business woman Sainap Gaschaiew (who is called “Coca – the dove” by parents and friends) has been documenting events happening in her homeland of Chechnya on a daily basis. She has been fighting for an international tribunal, and, together with other women, is hiding hundreds of videotapes depicting the atrocities. What Russia’s President Putin calls “anti-terrorist actions”, has come to resemble genocide. So far, the world remains silent - be it out of ignorance, helplessness, or opportunism. Bergkraut’s documentary film premiered at the International Forum of Young Cinema in Berlin and was invited to the International Festival in Nyon and to the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. It received great responses at all of these venues.
Zurich, June 22, 2005
Zurich, June 22, 2005