Controversial Australian film Chasing Asylum will hit local screens from 5 May at the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival in Melbourne. This marks the beginning of a premiere season visiting each capital city.

From Academy Award® winning Eva Orner (Producer, Taxi To The Dark Side; Director, The Network), Chasing Asylum reveals the personal impact of sending those in search of a safe home to languish in limbo – with never before seen footage from inside Australia’s offshore detention camps.

Director Eva Orner will tour the film to Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin and Alice Springs, joining with presenting partners in most locations to host special events. Partners include the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, Sydney Writers Festival, Adelaide Film Festival, Amnesty International Tasmanian Branch and the Tasmania Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival. Each premiere screening will be accompanied by an in-depth Q&A with Eva Orner.

“For too long the Australian Government has been hiding behind a policy of secrecy regarding offshore detention. The Australian people can’t decide what they think unless they are informed and can see exactly what is going on in our detention centres on Nauru and Manus. I invite all  Australians to come and see the film. And then make up their own minds as to whether our treatment of asylum seekers is humane and justified or not”, says director Eva Orner.

To coincide with the film’s Australian season, Harper Collins will also release a book, Chasing Asylum, in which filmmaker Eva Orner takes us on a personal, gripping and compelling journey to show us how she came to make the documentary and what went into making the film. The book is an insight into a filmmaker’s journey, and a very personal story of the cost, risks and rewards of putting yourself on the line for a film and for a cause.

After the premiere season, the film will be in cinemas nationally from 26 May. Visit http://www.chasingasylum.com.au to book your tickets.

PREMIERE TOUR DETAILS:

5 May  Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, ACMI – Melbourne, VIC

10 May ACT Premiere, Palace Electric – Canberra, ACT

11 May QLD Premiere, Palace Centro – Brisbane, QLD

12 May TAS Premiere, Peacock – Hobart, TAS

17 May SA Premiere, Mercury Cinema – Adelaide, SA

18 May NSW Premiere, Dendy Opera Quays – Sydney, NSW

30 May NT Premiere, Alice Springs Cinema – Alice Springs, NT

31 May WA Premiere, Luna on Essex – Fremantle, WA

7 June Darwin Screening, Deckchair Cinema – Darwin, NT

For all tickets please visit http://www.chasingasylum.com.au