Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. We work tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep rooted change and fight to bring greater justice and security to people around the world. Through our Human Rights Watch Film Festival we bear witness to human rights violations and create a forum for courageous individuals on both sides of the lens to empower audiences with the knowledge that personal commitment can make a difference. The film festival brings to life human rights abuses through storytelling in a way that challenges each individual to empathize and demand justice for all people.

In selecting films for the festival, Human Rights Watch concentrates equally on artistic merit and human rights content. The festival encourages filmmakers around the world to address human rights subject matter in their work and presents films from both new and established international filmmakers.

Each year, the festival's programming committee screens more than 500 films and videos to create a program that represents a range of countries and issues. Once a film is nominated for a place in the program, staff of the relevant division of Human Rights Watch also view the work to confirm its accuracy in the portrayal of human rights concerns. Though the festival rules out films that contain unacceptable inaccuracies of fact, we do not bar any films on the basis of a particular point of view.

The New York festival has been co-presented since 1994 by The Film Society of Lincoln
Center and screens at The Film Society of Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater. In 1996, the festival expanded to London, where it now screens annually in March. Our London partners are The Ritzy Cinema in Brixton, the ICA and the Curzon Soho Cinema.

The festival consistently features a large number of co-presentations with other festivals to encourage cross-communication and mutual support throughout the festival and film community. A majority of each year's screenings are followed by discussions with the filmmakers and Human Rights Watch staff on issues represented in the films.

The festival staff can be reached at the following coordinates:
John Biaggi, Director
T: 212 216 1263 / F: 212 736 1300 / E: biaggij@hrw.org

Andrea Holley, Deputy Director
T: 212 216 1839 / F: 212 736 1300 / E: holleya@hrw.org

Jennifer Nedbalsky, Program Manager
T: 212 216 1247 / F: 212 736 1300 / E: nedbalj@hrw.org

Human Rights Watch Film Festival
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor
New York, NY 10118 USA