Portsmouth Resident Sandra Hammel to Spotlight Darfur Genocide at Compassion Film Festival

How do you explain a catastrophic event and move an audience to action in five minutes?

Sandra Hammel of Portsmouth will attempt just that this Friday, when she debuts her film “Darfur The Abandoned Genocide” at the Compassion Film Festival at Jane Pickens Theater in Newport.

Hammel, a retired music teacher, became an activit for the cause in 2004 after watching a powerful documentary on the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. "I knew very little about what was happening in Rwanda at the time, but after seeing the film, I decided to educate myself,” said Hammel. “When I heard what was happening in Darfur, I knew I couldn’t be silent anymore.”

Since 2004, Hammel has been extremely proactive about the cause and has volunteered in two major rallies both in Washington, DC, and New York to bring more awareness to the troubles overseas, but in the past few years, the Darfur conflict has not been settled.

“In the last several months, bombing from Sudan has escalated in Darfur, yet we don’t hear about it anymore,” said Hammel. “We are inundated with news daily, yet somehow this entire conflict has dropped out of circulation. The only reason I know what is going on is because I am actively looking for updates on what is going on.”

As for expectations on Friday, Hammel is looking to get the attention of her audience and motivate them to get involved.

“The change starts with us,” said Hammel. “Until we, as people, ask and pressure our leaders to do something, they are just going to let it go.”

As for getting her message down to a five-minute film slot, it wasn’t an easy task but she has faith that it will get through to the audience by the time the ending credits come on.

“I think so many of us, myself included, are so busy and now people are losing jobs and have there own issues so it takes a lot more to move people,” said Hammel. “I completely understand that but it is still so important to get involved.”

The Compassion Film Festival, is a benefit event for Looking Upwards, a local non-profit organization and will consist of a juried collection of short films submitted by local and regional film artists that are all based around the theme of compassion.

If you are interested in checking out the event, you can join the group on April 8 at 6 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theater in Newport.

For more information about the film series, click .