Under the motto Choosing Humanity, the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin 2024 focused on people who, despite global challenges such as conflicts and increasing threats to freedom of expression and the press, stand up for justice, democracy, and freedom. From 4 to 12 October, the festival screened 25 documentary films on democracy, human rights, and press freedom — sharing stories of courage, solidarity, and humanity.
The opening film Democracy Noir by Emmy award-winner Connie Field uses the example of Hungary to illustrate how authoritarian forces are purposefully undermining democratic institutions. The film focuses on three women who resolutely oppose these developments and fight for a democratic and free society.
Honorary Patron 2024 – Can Dündar
Can Dündar is a renowned journalist und filmmaker, who was sentenced to prison for exposing Turkish arms shipments and survived an assassination attempt. Now living in exile in Berlin, he has published severeal books and received numerous awards, including the Reporters Without Borders Human Rights Prize.
HUMAN RIGHTS TALKS AND ACTION
At our Human Rights Talks experts discuss the pressing issues of our times. The talks add new perspectives
to the film programme and invite the audience to participate in open dialogue. After each talk, we screened a thematically appropriate film from our programme. With our new format Human Rights Action the festival creates a space to move from watching to taking action. Together with our partners, we present ways for you to actively engage with the themes addressed in the films and support human rights. We unite the efforts of filmmakers, policymakers, NGOs, and our passionate audience to create positive and sustainable change together.
WETTBEWERB
The film Mediha by Hasan Oswald was awarded with the Willy Brandt Documentary Film Award for Freedom and Human Rights. It deals with the genocide committed by ISIS against the Yazidis and its aftermath. The film hands the camera to its protagonist, Mediha, allowing us to share in her harrowing and inspiring personal testimony.
The Youth Award was awarded to Bêmal – Heimatlos by Düzen Tekkal and David Körzdörfer. This prize aims especially to give a voice to the perspectives of young people. The film tells the story of young Yazidis fighting for the freedom of their people, and the immense suffering they have endured and continue to endure. It vividly illustrates that violence and fear do not end when people are forced to leave their homelands.
This year's Audience Award went to the film No Other Land by the Palestinian-Israeli filmmakers Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The film documents the displacement of Palestinians from the villages of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank. Since childhood, Palestinian activist Basel Adra has fought against the eviction of residents by the Israeli occupation. When he meets Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, an unexpected friendship develops, leading to the collaboration of a Palestinian-Israeli team on this film.
IMPRESSIONS
