The Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria has received a total of 1,224 film entries from 20 countries across the eight continents of the world ahead of the inaugural edition of the Africa International Human Rights Film Festival.
The festival is a creative approach to beaming searchlights on the many issues of human rights abuses across the world in an attempt to expose the drivers of these atrocious activities, obtain justice for the victims, prevent or reduce possible social stigmas associated with the effects or impacts, and raise a globally driven coalition to drastically prevent them.
This was disclosed by theFounder, Human Rights Journalists Network, and Convener, Africa International Film Festivals, Mr. Kehinde Adegboyega.
According to the statement, the highest number of entries, 137 films, was received from India, followed by 91 genres from the Islamic Republic of Iran, 72 from Brazil, 70 from Turkey, 56 from the host country, Nigeria, 55 from Spain, 50 from Italy, and 48 from the United States of America. He noted that the Africa International Human Rights Film Festival will serve as a platform to start conversations and spur stakeholders to take action on fundamental human rights and abuses in Nigeria, Africa, and anywhere in the world.
The entries are feature-length and short films that attempt to expose how the fundamental human rights of the people are being infringed upon by officials, using the instrumentality of political powers, state resources, law enforcement agencies, poverty, and technology to keep the masses perpetually vulnerable and at the mercy of the abusers.
He stated that 20 internationally acclaimed and award-winning filmmakers, human rights experts, and civic space experts are sorting through the massive entries to pick the best films to be screened at the international event.
The film festival is slated to take place between December 10 and 12, 2022. The festival will take place at the Goethe Institute on Victoria Island on December 10 and 11, and at Spaces for Change in Ikeja, Lagos, on December 12, 2022.