23rd Human Rights Film Festival to take place between 23 and 30 April
The history of Palestine, migrations and the situation of refugees in different parts of the world, child health, the role of women in religions, child soldiers in Africa, the power of social mobilisations, and precarious conditions in the textile industry will be among the topics covered by the festival's films and discussions.
The film Palestine 36 (2025), by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir, winner of the 2019 Festival Award, will have the honour on 23 April at the Victoria Eugenia Theatre of opening the 23rd San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival, organised by the City Council Human Rights Area and Donostia Kultura.
The US film Rebuilding (2025), directed by Max Walker-Silverman, will bring the event to a close on 30 April, likewise at the Victoria Eugenia, at a gala ceremony where the awards for feature-length and short films will be handed out.
At the closing event, filmmaker Imanol Uribe will also receive the festival's special lifetime achievement award.
The screenings will be held mainly at the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, with some sessions at the Teatro Principal, such as the two films included in the 3rd Cycle of Cinema and Victimology. Tabakalera will screen four titles, three of them in the Film and Memory series, and a fourth in a special session organised by Filmoteca Vasca. This year's programme features a total of 46 films (27 features and 19 shorts) from 35 different countries.
The film programme will be supplemented almost every day with discussions courtesy of the stars, filmmakers and expert figures in the topics covered.
A total of 8 matinees will be held at the Principal theatre for city schools. The films chosen by age group are Animalien eguberri magikoa (2024), Ipuinak lorategi magikotik (2025) and Faisaien Irla (2025). The accompanying educational guides have this year been produced, respectively, by Rita & Luca Films, Pack Màgic and Ikertze.
The Human Rights Film Festival also this year features a stand-up performance at the Principal, Humor negra, by Asaari Bibang, along with 4 exhibitions at Donostia Kultura venues.
There will also be an online game about human rights, Babes TÚ, organised by the Basque Development NGO Coordination Board, to test the participants' knowledge of the subject.
A hugely relevant current affairs round table (La era Trump y sus consecuencias), organised by Amnesty International, Economists Without Borders and BC3 – Basque Centre for Climate Change, will take place on 22 April at the Victoria Eugenia Club Room.
The aim of the festival is to use quality filmmaking to encourage reflection, awareness and debate as to different aspects of the protection and violation of human rights, while also helping to promote active citizenship with a commitment to justice and social fairness.
The festival is supported by the Provincial Authority of Gipuzkoa, through the Directorate-General of Human Rights and Democratic Culture, the Basque Government, through the Department of Justice and Human Rights, and the Institute of Cinematography and Audiovisual Arts (ICAA), along with the collaboration of charities and organisations including Zehar, Unicef, Gehitu, Amnesty International, UNHCR, SOS Racism and FiSahara.
TICKETS
Tickets (€5) will be on sale from Friday, 17 April at 11:30 a.m. at the Principal and Victoria Eugenia theatre box offices, and via the Donostia Kultura website.
Tickets for the screenings at Tabakalera are already on sale (€4.50) at the venue ticket office and website.
Invites for free sessions will be made available to the public on the 17th at the Principal and Victoria Eugenia box offices and on the DK website. Invites for the two sessions in the 3rd Cycle of Cinema and Victimology can already be picked up at the same locations.
