"AMAZING GRACE" is based on the true story of William Wilberforce, a British statesman and reformer from the early part of the 19th century. This feature film chronicles his extraordinary contributions to the world, primarily his 20-year fight to abolish the British slave trade, which he won in 1807. Wilberforce was also instrumental in passing legislation to abolish slavery in the British colonies, a victory he won just three days before his death in 1833.  There is a whole study and faith guide at this site:   http://www.amazinggracemovie.com/

"SICKO" - thought-provoking documentary by  Michael Moore about the American health system, health insurance and drug companies. Most moving scene is when Moore takes 9/11 rescue workers to Guantanamo Bay because they can't afford health treatment on the US mainland. From there they are welcomed and receive care received by the doctors in Cuba.

"Blood Diamonds" - Set against the backdrop of the chaos and civil war that enveloped 1990s Sierra Leone, "Blood Diamond" is the story of Danny Archer, an ex-mercenary from Zimbabwe, and Solomon Vandy, a Mende fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories and their circumstances are as different as any can be until their fates become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond, the kind of stone that can transform a life, or end it.

"Ten Canoes" -drama that looks at Indigenous culture before white culture came to Australia. Using the actual people of Arnhem Land the film looks at the moral code and myths that informed the Aboriginal way of life.

"An Inconvenient Truth"- documentary presented by Al Gore about the impacts of Global Warming.

"Scared Sacred"- documentary that examines the connection between suffering and the sacred.

"Thank You for Smoking"- drama that examines the tactics of some cigarette companies.

"Sophie Scholl"-drama based on the real-life story of German university students who spoke out and criticized the Nazi government in 1943.

"HIDDEN" (drama) - A terrifying whodunit that's also an intuitive social commentary on migrants, refugees and fear. Georges (Daniel Auteuil), a famous Parisian television presenter, and his wife Anne (Juliette Binoche) are on the receiving end of mysterious and terrifying surveillance tapes  from an unknown source.

"TSOTSI" (drama) - in a shantytown on the edges of Johannesburg, South Africa, nineteen year old Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) has repressed any memory of his past and is known simply as "Tsotsi" - literally "thug". A gritty and moving portrait of an angry young man living in a state of extreme urban deprivation.

"Water" (drama) - This film, set in the 1930s, looks at what happened to widows, as young as 8 years old, in Indian society. It shows the social restrictions imposed on women as widows.

"March of the Penguins" (doco) - A remarkable story of how Penguins are able to endure despite the harshest of antarctic conditions.

“Syriana” - this multi-layered drama looks at the west's obsession with procuring oil and how it affects ordinary people in their quest for a better life by inventing a fictional middle east nation called "Syriana". Award-winning George Clooney stars

"Capote" stars Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Based on the life of Truman Capote, the celebrated writer. It focuses on the period when celebrated writer researches his book "In Cold Blood" based on the lives of 3 killers responsible for brutal murders and facing death row.  Excellent film on the theme of capital punishment.

 “North Country” - story of one woman’s struggle against sexual discrimination in a U.S. mining town

 “Munich” - Director Spielberg retells the events of the kidnapping and murder of Jewish athletes by Black September at the 1972 Olympic Games. This film tackles the issue of the struggle for land, recognition, revenge and honour. Ultimately, any and all violence always begets more violence.

"THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" by Joan Chittester addresses what it is to be made in the likeness of God and how to make the applications beyond a narrow set of rules but a way of living as response to God's love.

"JESUS TODAY"  by Albert Nolan following up his best-seller Jesus before Christianity Nolan looks at the spirituality to live out social justice.

"JESUS &  NON-VIOLENCE" by Walter Wink. A short read into how Jesus preached active non-violence and how to apply the principles to our modern world as an alternative to the dominant power structure.

" MANDATE  TO DIFFERENCE" by Walter Brueggemann. A challenging book that tackles head on issues of our world to bring about the Prophetic .

“JESUS”  by Marcus Borg. This leading biblical scholar gives us new insights and a much richer spirituality based on his findings of who Jesus was and what he preached.

"The God of Peace"- John Dear

" On Job- God-talk and the Suffering of the Innocent"- Gustavo Gutierrez

" The Restless heart "- Ronald Rolheiser

" Non-Violent Story- Narrative Conflict Resolution in the Gospel of Mark"- Robert R. Beck

" Open Wide the Doors to Christ"- A 6 session Lenten program. ( Wollongong diocese)

These DVD’s/videos may be helpful in understanding social justice issues.

  “Turtles Can Fly” - doco; topic: Iraq war, landmines

  “ Enron - the Smartest Guys in the Room” - doco; topic: globalization

  “Fahrenheit 911” - doco on politics, war

  “Bowling with Columbine” - doco on politics, poverty, gun control

“The Take” - workers’ rights, globalization

“Seeking Asylum” - refugees, detention centres

“Letters to Ali” - refugees, detention centres

"Landmines - A Love Affair” - landmines, life in Afghanistan

“Hotel Rwanda” drama; topic - Rwanda crisis in 1970s, genocide

“Maria, Full of Grace” - drama dealing with issues of drug smuggling

“Yesterday” - doco on HIV Aids

“Red Dust” - doco on reconciliation in South Africa

“Blowing in the Wind” - doco; topic - depleted uranium used overseas in Australia

“Anthem” - Iraq war, refugees

“Outfoxed” - doco dealing with Fox network’s involvement in news reporting

“The Corporation” - doco on how corporations work and their impacts on society

“Kandahar” -  Made in 2002, this film looks at Afghanistan through the eyes of an Afghan woman who has been living in Canada. Touches on issues of surviving in this poor country and the effects of war and landmines

“Good Night and Good Luck” - drama dealing with McCarthyism and media reporting

“Punished But Not Protected” - leading Australians share their views on Australia's refugee policy

“Machuca” - drama set in Chile during the 1973 revolution in Chile dealing with the problems when the priests introduces boys from the shanty-town into the Catholic school for the wealthy

“Constant Gardener” - in its last days, this movie depicts the story of an English ambassador’s wife who uncovers cover-ups of drug companies dealing in Africa.