'Throughout the years as an immigrant living in Australia, I have reflected often on this new country. In the year 2001, I felt the country was heading in a very negative direction. In 2002, around October, I read an article in the newspaper written by a doctor on her story with an asylum seeker, a young boy from Afghanistan. I was very moved by the story and felt that I had to do something. Originally I had intended to make the story into a feature/drama film. However, as I became more involved, I considered making a fiction, but I realised that the authenticity would be lost. There was also an urgency and immediacy to the subject and that was why in the middle of 2003 I simply put down what I was doing, went ahead and shot this essay film with a DV camera and funded it with my husband and myself. As word spread, I got a lot of support from my community. Everyone who worked on the film, did so on a pro bono basis, with the sound studio and post-production house lending us their equipment and support on a hundred percent discount.' -Clara Law

This impassioned and deeply personal film from Clara Law (Floating Life, MIFF 1996) and Eddie L.C. Fong will make its World Premiere at this year's Festival. With a gentle, subtle new score by Paul Grabowsky, Letters to Ali is essential viewing.

Clara Law and Eddie L.C. Fong are guests of the Festival.

D Clara Law P/S/WS Clara Law, Eddie L.C. Fong TD Video/Col/2004/106mins

Clara Law was born in Macao, China in 1954. Films include: Autumn Moon (1992), Floating Life (MIFF 1996), Goddess of 1967 (2000).