MEDIA ADVISORY
OCTOBER 26, 2016
Hard to Believe: A Documentary about the Killing of Prisoners of
Conscience for their Organs in China
WHAT: “Hard to Believe,” an hour-long award-winning documentary produced by Swoop Films and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Ken Stone, examines what the filmmakers believe is the widespread Chinese government practice of executing political prisoners and the selling of their organs to “transplant tourists.”
WHEN/WHERE:
Thursday, November 10 from 7 p.m.–8 p.m.
Los Altos Library Orchard Room
13 S. San Antonio Road
Los Altos, CA 94022
650-948-7683 www.sccl.org
ABOUT THE FILM:
A serious look into one of the most horrifying human rights abuses of our time, “Hard to Believe” explores allegations of the murder of prisoners of conscience in China and the sale of their organs to foreign patients. Director Stone brings the film to life through personal stories, including an author’s findings after seven years of research and a surgeon’s confession.
Investigators estimate up to 10,000 prisoners of conscience have been killed annually for the sale of their organs since 2001, a time when China’s prison population dramatically increased due to the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of citizens caught practicing the Falun Gong spiritual discipline.
Leading U.S. ethicist and Founding Director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU,
Arthur Caplan, PhD. says the film, “Hard to Believe”, is “an important, timely, and deeply disturbing account of one of the great human rights abuses of our time.” Both the United States Congress and the European Union have created resolutions condemning the practice of organ harvesting in China (US House of Foreign Affairs Committee Resolution 343 and resolutions by the EU in both 2013 and 2016.)
“Hard to Believe” is currently being broadcast on PBS stations across America and is playing in film festivals around the world. The film has been translated into nine languages.
The event is free and open to the public. No reservations required. Following the film, local activist Shuang Ji will host a Q&A session. For more information about the film go to www.hardtobelievemovie.com
About the Santa Clara County Library District
The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) promotes knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment. Its collection includes more than 1.9 million books, videos, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, eBooks and extensive online resources accessible from home or work.
In 2014, SCCLD celebrated one hundred years of service to local residents. For the last several years, SCCLD has been consistently recognized as one of America’s Star Libraries by Library Journal. In 2014, SCCLD was ranked among the top ten large libraries in the United States in the Library Journal Index of Public Library Service. In 2014 and 2015, SCCLD won Innovator Awards from the Urban Libraries Council.
The Santa Clara County Library District includes two bookmobiles, an online library, seven community libraries and one branch library serving Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga and the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. In 2014, the Santa Clara County Library District had more than 225,000 library cardholders and welcomed 3.3 million visitors who borrowed 8.9 million items, making it one of the most used resources in the region. Visit Santa Clara County Library District online at www.sccl.org.
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Contact: Judith Gregg/Cynthia Wilson Los Altos Library 650-948-7683 x3510 cwilson@sccl.org |
Nancy Howe/Chris Brown/Lili Smith Santa Clara County Library District 408-293-2326 x3001/3002/3014 |
