14,833 participants at 23rd San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival
The 23rd San Sebastian Human Rights Festival, organised by the Human Rights area of the City Council and Donostia Kultura, took place between 23 and 30 April, and proved a huge success with the public.
From the visit by British actor Billy Howle at the opening ceremony, as one of the stars of the inaugural film, Palestine 36, down to the special festival award handed to Imanol Uribe at the closing gala, the directors attending the festival to present their films included such names as Tamara Stepanyan, Natxo Leuza, Bàrbara Mestanza, Marc Pujolar, Lander Garro, Mafalda Saloio and Sergio Haro.
The range of debates and round-table discussions also featured a great many figures, including Eva Suárez-Llanos, assistant director of the Spanish Section of Amnesty International; the forensic physician Paco Etxeberria; Gema Varona, director of the Basque Institute of Criminology; the lawyers Aamer Anwar and Cecilia Piris; Javier Canivell, CEO of Zehar-Errefuxiatuekin; Esperanza Santos, emergency coordinator at Doctors Without Borders Spain; and a number of lecturers from the University of the Basque Country.
An audience of 7,837 attended the films shown during the Festival: 5,298 at the 23 screenings at the Victoria Eugenia and Principal theatres, 2,292 school students at the 8 matinees at the Principal, and 247 at the 4 screenings scheduled at Tabakalera.
5,788 people visited the 4 exhibitions that were staged: To Tell My Story (Okendo Kultur Etxea, open until 6 June), The Three Borders (Aiete Kultur Etxea, open until 7 June), 22nd children's and young people's edition of Art and Human Rights (Victoria Eugenia) and Hope by Force (Victoria Eugenia).
A total of 1,208 people took part in the remaining activities (round-table discussions, stand-up comedy performance and the online game Babes TÚ).
Overall, an audience of 14,833 attended the Festival.
