8th Human Rights Film Festival

From 23rd To 30th April

The tap portrayed against the desert backdrop on the poster of the 8th Human Rights Film Festival confirms the "Waves of people’s energy" emerging in our city to show Europe and the rest of the world that San Sebastian is a City of Culture: a Culture of Peace and Values, and that this energy makes it an unbeatable candidate as one of the European Capitals of Culture 2016.

Yet another year, we at the San Sebastian City Council Human Rights Office and Donostia Kultura combine the power of this human energy with the ability of the cinema to influence and raise awareness, with the universal language of images and the strength of words, with a goal underlying our everyday work as a vital necessity: the defence and fostering of human rights, particularly those of the most vulnerable and underprivileged sectors.

The Human Rights Film Festival brings an 8th edition surpassing itself in film and human quality, with a whole variety of parallel activities: talks with the actors, directors and expert personalities in the deep-rooted social subjects dealt with by the films, exhibitions, the international short film competition with its jury of youngsters, matinee sessions for education centres, new awards... And all set around a common denominator: that of offering and provoking a critical, supportive, demanding and plural vision of humanity’s great challenges and shortfalls, particularly in today’s world crisis scenario.

A festival offering a top-notch programme, with international releases and pre-releases of films from countries the world over, backed by great acclaim and numerous accolades, and which, despite its young age, has now become a reference for various human rights festivals on the five continents. In this respect, the San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival has taken yet another step forward in its international recognition due to being the only festival of its kind in Spain belonging to the Human Rights Film Network encompassing the most outstanding human rights festivals in the world. Yet another networking endeavour undoubtedly leading to new strengths and intentions.

But we’re not alone. Once again, I’d like to thank the Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation (AECID), the European Commission and the Basque Government for their support. And of course I would also like to acknowledge the backing of other organisations including UNICEF, ACNUR, CEAR, Amnesty International, SOS Racismo, Gehitu, the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, the UNESCO Chair on Human Rights at the UNAM in Mexico, and twinned festivals such as the Nantes Spanish Film Festival (France) or the Mexican Academy of Human Rights. But, above all, I would like to highlight the energy we receive from our citizens when they show us that they refuse to close their eyes to reality.

ODÓN ELORZA GONZÁLEZ
Mayor of San Sebastian