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Time for human rights

Time for human rights
13.10.2022

This year's Human Rights Film Festival Berlin shows touching, inspiring and shocking films – also in the Hackesche Höfe.

Wars, climate crisis and growing poverty are also shifting the human rights situation in many parts of the world. Since 2018, the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin has been a kind of barometer for human rights around the world. This year's festival, from October 13-23, 2022, shows that in the current situation, the prospects for life in freedom, dignity and equality are far from good. 

"Beyond Red Lines" – this is the theme of this year's festival. "After the Taliban came to power, many red lines were crossed in Afghanistan. The war against Ukraine has given the title a whole new dimension," says festival director Anna Ramskogler-Witt. "How do we react as an international community when red lines are crossed? What are the consequences for our society? These will be questions we want to discuss with our festival visitors* and experts."

Films and discussions at Hackesche Höfe Cinema 

The festival will show a total of 40 films in nine Berlin cinemas, 19 of the films will be screened at Hackesche Höfe Kino. The first entry is called "Ithaka": The opening film tells the story of John Shipton. The British anti-war activist today is fighting for his son, probably the most famous political prisoner in the world: Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks founder is facing 175 years in prison in the USA. He has made it possible that many political backgrounds behind massive human rights violations have become visible. The documentary was produced by Julian Assange's brother.


Children at war

In addition, the big current political issue plays a major role: the Ukraine war. The film "A House Made of Splinters" picks up on the war on a very emotional level. It shows children in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine growing up between alcohol and violence while looking for security and normality. For a few months, three children find refuge in a large dilapidated orphanage near the battle line. In February 2022, the house is destroyed. The whole country is now struggling to survive – and the children have to flee the battle zone. Danish director Simon Lereng Wilmont had already drawn attention to the suppressed war in Ukraine with films in 2017. 

Global climate change

The film “Aya”, for example, reports on the effects of climate change. The film is set on the Ivory Coast. The island where the young girl Aya makes her home is slowly being swallowed up by rising sea levels. 

More hope in the context of climate change is offered by the film “Duty of Care – The Climate Trials”. It tells the story of the world's first truly relevant climate ruling. Lawyer Roger Cox takes oil multinational Shell to court to reduce its CO2 emissions faster than planned. 


Forum and exhibition

The Human Rights Film Festival Berlin was initiated by the developmental organization Aktion gegen den Hunger and has been held annually since 2018. The festival focuses on stories from all parts of the world that report in a powerful way on the current state of human rights. This year's festival is hosted by Aktion gegen den Hunger together with Greenpeace and Save the Children. 


As in previous years, the festival will be accompanied by a forum, which will include a comprehensive supporting program of readings, talks, a virtual reality exhibition, and a multi-day professional conference.


Tickets and times at Hackesche Höfe Kino can be found here. 


Photo credit: All images © Human Rights Film Festival Berlin/Aktion gegen den Hunger gGmbh