The Valencia International Film and Human Rights Festival, Humans Fest, organized by Fundación por la Justicia, has begun the parallel programming of its XIV edition with two workshops designed to consolidate the audiovisual field as a tool in the defense of human rights, as well as broaden the views and demands that reach the big screen. All of this, under its thematic axis of 2023: the gender perspective.
On the one hand, a fortnight of activists will be formed in the documentary with the help of La Cosecha, a Valencian production company specialized in communication for social change. Humans Fest will celebrate this activity this weekend in Valencia, from Friday March 24 to Sunday March 26, when human rights defenders from different sectors and entities, such as For you woman y Alanna, they will learn to transfer their feminist vision with cameras and translate your messages to Audiovisual language.
As in the previous edition of Humans Fest, the works that arise in this workshop will be premiered during the festival itself, which this year is celebrated from June 1 to 9. In fact, in 2022 three documentaries resulted (available on the festival's YouTube channel) that showed various demands regarding migration: the use of public space and the right to physical activity; the elimination of CIE; and the recognition of the studies and experience of migrants in the labor market.
“In these workshops we understand the documentary as a tool for reflection on our environments, for expression and empowerment, which generates debates on the issues that concern the participants. We put their personal stories on the table with a participatory methodology to build new narratives that allow them to self-represent and claim their daily spaces as spaces of resistance,” explains Alba Pascual from La Cosecha.
HUMANS FEST PROMOTES AUDIOVISUAL TALENT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
On the other hand, Humans Fest repeats its official section 1 minute, 1 right, dedicated to microfilms on human rights made by students. To this end, it has launched a series of training talks in various educational centers of different levels, so that youth can meet an activist, talk to them and be inspired for their future audiovisual work. The first session has already been held with students from the 3rd year of the Degree in Journalism at the University of Valencia and Noelia Montagud, a member of the political incidence and social participation area of CEAR in Valencia.
“These workshops consist of meetings of approximately one hour between students, activists from various human rights defense entities and the Humans Fest. We seek to open spaces for reflection on human rights and stimulate the emergence of ideas that are transformed into audiovisual pieces participating in our festival. We hope to receive many proposals,” explains Pilar Almenar, Humans Fest awareness coordinator.
THE SELECTION PROCESS BEGINS FOR THE OFFICIAL SECTION OF 2023
In addition to 1 minute, 1 right, Humans Fest comprises other categories in its official section: Humans Ficfor the best international feature and short fiction films; Humans Docfor the best feature and short documentary films; Curt i Barrejat, for Valencian short films that address human rights in documentary or fiction genre.
The registration period for these last three has recently ended. In total, they have presented 454 film works which, now, have moved on to the pre-selection phase, in which both professionals from the third sector and the cultural field participate.
Humans Fest is part of the international Human Rights Film Network. Its 14th edition is celebrated thanks to the collaboration of the Conselleria de Cooperació, Diputació de València, Ajuntament de València, Institut Valencià de Cultura, Caixa Popular and Teika.