For the first time, the Human Rights Film Network has presented the new Human Rights Film Award at the prestigious Cinema for Peace gala during the Berlin International Film Festival. The award honours the courageous work of human rights activists (individuals or groups) portrayed in a HR film. The award is worth EUR 5000 and is presented in cooperation with Cinema for Peace and Amnesty International.

The first Human Rights Film Award winner is Zainap Gashaeva for her outstanding work on documenting war crimes in Chechnya. Mrs. Gashaeva and her organization Echo of War were portrayed in Eric Bergkraut's 2005 documentary "Coca - The Dove From Chechnya". The Human Rights Film Award was presented to Mrs. Gashaeva by Antonio Banderas and Marianne Faithful.

left to right: Anabel Bermejo, Markus N. Beeko (both AI Germany), director Ayfer Ergün (An Ox for a Baby), director James Longley (Iraq in Fragments), Zainap Gashaeva (Echo of War), Taco Ruighaver (Movies That Matter, Amsterdam), Giulia Grassilli (Human Rights Nights, Bologna), Andrea Kuhn (Perspektive, Nuremberg), Leo Hannewijk (Movies That Matter, Amsterdam)

Human Rights Film Network is delighted to announce the Award for Best Feature Film at the 64° Venice Film Festival. The Human Rights Film Network Award pays tribute to the courage of film directors who use the camera as an instrument of denunciation and visual resistance.

The international jury, formed by
Kirill Konin (Director Refugee Film Festival, Tokyo)
Maciej Novicki (Director Human Rights Film Festival in Warsaw)
Laura Marcellino (Consultant Cinema Industry)
Giancarlo Zappoli (Cinema Critic)
Giulia Grassilli (Director Human Rights Nights, Bologna)

has conferred the Award to

MAN FROM PLAINS by Jonathan Demme,

for its representation of the intellectual honesty, coherence and strength of Jimmy Carter in pursuing with perseverance a path of peace and dialogue towards a resolution for the tragic situation in Palestine beyond any prejudice and bias. From the portrait of the former US President Jimmy Carter, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, a very different image of America than the contemporary one does emerge - a nation able to evaluate different perspectives but never ready to be silent in front of crimes against humanity from whatever side they would come from. It is an example of humanity that shows concrete ways to reach peace.

The jury Human Rights Film Network has also conferred two special mentions for the films:
REDACTED by Brian De Palma
IT'S A FREE WORLD by Ken Loach

For the full press release please click here.