People in Need to Hold One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival in March

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Panek SimonChief Executive Officer, People in Need
Panek SimonChief Executive Officer, People in Need

People in Need (PIN), a Czech non-profit based in Prague, will host the next  edition of the annual One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, the largest human rights film festival in the world, from March 6 to March 17, 2019 in Prague, in the Czech Republic.

The festival would present works and documentary films from around the globe, focusing on social, political, lifestyles, development, environmental, media and human rights issues.

It provides a platform for exchange of views and experiences from directors, film characters, human rights activists and Czech experts. Audience has an opportunity to discuss subjects of films after almost every screening, and panel debates on important current topics are held every evening in the Municipal Library.

In the weeks following the festival, which is after 10 days in Prague, the festival will move to 36 other cities around the Czech Republic in order to take the high-quality documentaries to so many places.

One World believes that the big screen is the beginning for some filmmakers and these people are creating interactive documentaries on the borders between film and computer games, and the latest cross-media projects will be shown at One World. The programme would also focus on documentaries with social outreach – films accompanied by campaigns aimed at changing public behavior or opinion.

Screenings for primary and secondary schools will be broadcast in the morning while it also offers special screenings of short films for children and their parents. One World also  believes that the right to cultural life is a basic human right and as such wants the festival programme made available to the blind and visually impaired, to the deaf and hard of hearing, and to people with reduced mobility and mental disabilities.

The Homo Homini Award will be presented to a person or group that has made a significant contribution to the promotion of human rights. The winners and those close to them will also benefit from moral support and greater awareness from the international community. The award is the only Czech international human rights prize.

Through One World, many sister festivals have become members of Human Rights Film Network. It provides advice concerning the film programme, production and logistics, media and fundraising strategies as well as accompanying activities and debates after film screenings. It also participates in regular seminars and meetings, where organizers of human rights festivals can exchange practical experiences.

One World published a practical guide entitled “How to Start a Human Rights Festival”. The selection of films screened in Prague every year is also brought to Brussels, where human rights themes are presented to politicians and government officials. Fledgling human rights festivals, especially those in non-democratic countries are also assisted.

After the festival, a project called “Get Your Audience” would  allow anyone screen select among the 46 documentaries films presented at One World for free and legally. The film selected is not only for oneself, but also for the public.

One World film cooperates with four partner festivals – CinéDoc in Tbilisi, Watch Docs in Warsaw, Docudays in Kyiv and Verzio in Budapest supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Visegrad Fund to reach a broader audience and thus promote documentary films as an important means of public discussion.

During the festival’s planning and realization, One World tries to minimize any negative environmental impacts by recycling, reducing waste, and supporting local companies and organizations. The One World International Film Festival is also a member of The Green Film Network, which brings together film festivals that explore environmental issues and try to reduce negative environmental impacts. The Green Film Network also supports and distributes documentary films.

People in Need is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded on the ideals of humanism, freedom, equality and solidarity. It works in more than 30 countries providing immediate humanitarian aid and helps people get back on their feet. It, supports child education, helps the poorest and most vulnerable, and supports human rights activists. The group holds the values of mutual help, solidarity and humanism in high esteem.