Location Geneva, Switzerland Language International | Founded 2002, Leo Kaneman | |
Directed by Isabelle Gattiker (since 2015) Festival date Annually, in March (during the UN Human Rights Council) | ||
The International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH) is one of the most important international events dedicated to cinema and human rights, located in the heart of Geneva, "international capital of human rights". The inspiration and impetus behind the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights came from human rights defenders active in NGO’s, filmmakers, media representatives and the University of Geneva. The FIFDH coincides with the UN Human Rights Council’s main session. This simultaneous event makes the Festival a Free Platform for discussion and debates on a wide variety of topics concerning human rights. It was created by Léo Kaneman and co-founded by Yäel Reinharz Hazan, Pierre Hazan and Isabelle Gattiker in November 2002. Its first edition took place in March 2003.
Contents
Film festival
With its concept « A film, A subject, A debate », the FIFDH aims to underline human rights violations through films and debates, in the presence of filmmakers, human rights defenders, politicians and recognized specialists. Its programme is designed to increase public awareness and inspire people to reinforce their commitment to universal values. In 2014, more than 25’000 visitors attended the Festival’s screenings and debates.
An international forum on human rights
As a genuine Forum on Human Rights, the Festival informs and firmly denounces violations of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights wherever they occur. In the heart of Geneva, the « human rights international capital », the FIFDH is a relay for human rights defenders active on the field. It offers debates as well as unscreened films and solidarity actions.
Personalities present at the festival
Present at the precedent editions were, among others : Edward Snowden (via Skype) Anna Politkovskaïa, Shirin Ebadi, Carla Del Ponte, Juliette Binoche, William Hurt, Viviane Reding, Taslima Nasreen, Zainab Gashaeva, Leila Shahid, Stéphane Hessel, Julian Assange (via Skype) and his lawyer Balthasar Garzón, Joseph Stiglitz, Robert Badinter, Général Roméo Dallaire, Miguel Angel Estrella, Antonio Tabucchi, Alice Nkom, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, Edgar Morin, Rithy Panh and Abderrahmane Sissako.
Awards and jury
The International Juries grant different Awards : the Grand Prix de Genève, the Prix de la Fondation Barbara Hendricks pour la Paix et la Réconciliation en l’honneur de Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Prix de l’Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT). the Prix Fiction et droits humains by the Barbour Foundation. The Eduki foundation and the PBI donate the Youth Awards
Awards 2016
GRAND PRIZE OF GENEVA: Among the believers” by Hemal Trivedi et Mohammed Ali Naqvi
PRIZE GILDA VIEIRA DE MELLO: Hooligan sparrow” by Nanfu Wang
SPECIAL JURY PRIZE, offered by the Barbara Hendricks Foundation for Peace and Reconciliation: “A SYRIAN LOVE STORY” by Sean McAllister
YOUTH JURY AWARD: Hooligan sparrow” by Nanfu Wang
GRAND PRIZE: “ZVIZDAN” (The High Sun) by Dalibor Matanić
SPECIAL MENTION: “EXPERIMENTER” by Michael Almereyda
YOUTH JURY AWARD: “3000 NIGHTS” by Mai Masri
GRAND PRIZE of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT): “VOYAGE EN BARBARIE” by Delphine Deloget & Cécile Allegra
JURY PRIZE OF THE CENTRE DE DÉTENTION DE LA CLAIRIÈRE: “SPARTIATES” by Nicolas Wadimoff.
Awards 2015
GRAND PRIZE OF GENEVA: On the bride's side (Io sto con la sposa) by Antonio Augugliara, Gabriele del Grande and Khales Saliman Al Nassiry
PRIZE GILDA VIEIRA DE MELLO: Spartacus et Cassandra by Ioanis Nuguet, Special mention to The Wanted 18 by Amer Shomali and Paul Cowan
YOUTH JURY AWARD: Something better to come by Hanna Polak
GRAND PRIZE & YOUTH JURY AWARD: Charlie's Country by Rolf de Heer
GRAND PRIZE of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT): Chechenya, a war without trace by Manon Loizeau.
Awards 2014
GRAND PRIZE OF GENEVA: Return to Homs by Talal Derki
Special mention: Sound of Torture by Keren Shayo
PRIZE GILDA VIEIRA DE MELLO: Art War by Marco Wilms
YOUTH JURY AWARD: 7 Days in Kigali by Mehdi Ba and Jeremy Frey
GRAND PRIZE: A Stranger by Croatian director Bobo Jelcic
YOUTH JURY AWARD: The Selfish Giant by Clio Barnard
GRAND PRIZE of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT): Global Gay, by Frédéric Martel and Rémi Lainé