Human Rights Film Festival Berlin: A look at democracy and freedom

Human Rights Film Festival Berlin: A look at democracy and freedom

at the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin: The importance of human rights in focus

From October 4th to 12th, the Human Rights Film Festival takes place in Berlin, which deals intensively with the topics of democracy, human rights and freedom of the press. This year 25 documentaries are presented that show both global and European perspectives.

The opening of the festival is characterized by Democracy Noir of the Emmy-price-crowned director Connie Field. The film in particular illuminates the situation in Hungary and illustrates how authoritarian tendencies can undermine democratic principles. The presence of Field and the protagonist Babett Oroszi will give the discussions a personal touch.

Another central concern of the festival is the consideration of the catastrophic conditions in US immigration centers, addressed in to Hour From The Middle of Nowhere by Ole Elfenkaemper and Kathrin Seward. The urgent pictures that are presented here combine the topic of human rights with the current challenges of immigration policy.

director Lidia Duda shows in her film Forest how escape movements also affect Europe. Here the fate of a family on the Polish border to Belarus is highlighted in the context of European asylum policy. Such stories raise awareness of the humanitarian challenges that arise from political decisions.

Another highlight of the festival is the cinematic contribution Mediha by Hasan Oswald, which documents the trauma of Yazid after the genocide ten years ago. These memories and experiences are brought to the fore by the cooperation between activists and film producers, which suggests Germany's responsibility in these questions.

As part of the festival, the renowned Willy-Brandt documentary award is also awarded, which honors extraordinary achievements in film art and focuses on important topics of human rights. In addition, the festival supports young voices through the introduction of a price of the youth jury , through which the perspectives and concerns of the younger generation are to be heard.

The festival managers Jan Sebastian Friedrich-Rust and Lydia Spiesberger emphasize the urgency with which such topics should be dealt with: "Democracy and human rights are also threatened in Europe. Films can draw attention to these grievances and stimulate critical reflection."

Overall, the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin offers a platform that enables you to talk to directors, activists and scientists. The festival has developed into an important forum for dialogue about human rights since its foundation in 2018.

The complete program overview is available on the official website of the festival at www.humanrightsfilmfestivalberlin.de/de/programm-2024