Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival
Encyclopedia
Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival was a four day festival held in Mumbai
, India
between December 8–10, 2010. It screened eight films from around the world that dealt with human rights
issues at a macro as well as at a micro level; from global concerns to indigenous issues. The festival coincided with the International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2010.
, Netherlands
. The films highlight the work done by human rights defenders
across the world and the dangers they face in their work, which are not always in countries where civil liberties
are honored. Festival director Sridhar Rangayan said, "I saw these films as a jury member at the festival in the Netherlands and was so moved by the films, I was determined to bring them to India to share with audiences here." The films dealt with human rights issues like human trafficking
and prostitution of children
; Violations of international laws on war
and peace
; Atrocities under military regimes; Religious fundamentalism and homophobia
; women's rights and honor killings; and civil war and the killing of innocents.
Each day of the screenings, panel discussions were held on each topic screened. The panelists included filmmakers Bishakha Datta, Vinta Nanda; rights activist Priti Patkar, advocates Colin Gonsalves
, PA Sebastian, Flavia Agnes and Usha Andevar. The panels were moderated by Vinta Nanda, Dalip Daswani and Gargi Sen respectively. Three of the activists portrayed in the documentaries: Rebiya Kadeer
, Somaly Mam
, and Mu Sochua
, have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
. Messages sent by them and some of the film-makers were shared with the audience at the festival. Film director and rights activist Mahesh Bhatt
inaugurated the festival by asking "how do we as a society... go about igniting change in 'this climate of collective apathy to human suffering'" together with theatre actress and director Dolly Thakore
. Of the festival, she said "This will open up avenues and provide a direction to youngsters".
A wide range of questions and discussions emerged from the audience of social activists, filmmakers, and film buffs, such as whether honor killing
s are different from stoning
s, how different are democracies with cartel
s and autocracies, what the relationship is between violence and families, and how individuals can effect change in the world.
, who is also the festival director. Gargi Sen is the co-director. The festival was organized by Solaris Pictures
(Mumbai) along with Magic Lantern Foundation (New Delhi) and Movies That Matter (Netherlands) in association with the Alliance française
.
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between December 8–10, 2010. It screened eight films from around the world that dealt with human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
issues at a macro as well as at a micro level; from global concerns to indigenous issues. The festival coincided with the International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2010.
Program
The eight documentaries screened at Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival were part of the Matter of Act program at Movies That Matter film festival 2010 held in March 2010 at The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The films highlight the work done by human rights defenders
Human Rights Defenders
Human rights defender is a term used to describe people who, individually or with others, act to promote or protect human rights. Human rights defenders are those men and women who act peacefully for the promotion and protection of those rights....
across the world and the dangers they face in their work, which are not always in countries where civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
are honored. Festival director Sridhar Rangayan said, "I saw these films as a jury member at the festival in the Netherlands and was so moved by the films, I was determined to bring them to India to share with audiences here." The films dealt with human rights issues like human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
and prostitution of children
Prostitution of children
Prostitution of children or child prostitution is the commercial sexual exploitation of children in which a child performs the services of prostitution, for financial benefit. The term normally refers to prostitution by a minor, or person under the local age of majority...
; Violations of international laws on war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
; Atrocities under military regimes; Religious fundamentalism and homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
; women's rights and honor killings; and civil war and the killing of innocents.
Each day of the screenings, panel discussions were held on each topic screened. The panelists included filmmakers Bishakha Datta, Vinta Nanda; rights activist Priti Patkar, advocates Colin Gonsalves
Colin Gonsalves
Colin Gonsalves is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India. He is also the Founder Director of Human Rights Law Network . A pioneer in the field of public interest litigation in India, he has successfully brought a number of cases dealing with economic, social and cultural rights...
, PA Sebastian, Flavia Agnes and Usha Andevar. The panels were moderated by Vinta Nanda, Dalip Daswani and Gargi Sen respectively. Three of the activists portrayed in the documentaries: Rebiya Kadeer
Rebiya Kadeer
Rebiya Kadeer is a prominent Uyghur businesswoman and political activist from the northwest region of Xinjiang Autonomus Region of the People's Republic of China...
, Somaly Mam
Somaly Mam
Somaly Mam is a Cambodian author and human rights advocate, focusing primarily on needs of victims of human sex trafficking, and has garnered official and media acclaim for her efforts.-Early life:...
, and Mu Sochua
Mu Sochua
Mu Sochua is an elected Sam Rainsy Party opposition member of the Cambodian parliament and a mother of three children. In 2005, she received the Leadership Award in Washington, DC, from the Vital Voices Foundation, co-founded by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton...
, have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
. Messages sent by them and some of the film-makers were shared with the audience at the festival. Film director and rights activist Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt , is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter.Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam and Zakhm....
inaugurated the festival by asking "how do we as a society... go about igniting change in 'this climate of collective apathy to human suffering'" together with theatre actress and director Dolly Thakore
Dolly Thakore
-Career:Most of her career has been spent on the stage but she appeared in the 2005 film Page 3.Thakore was the casting director for the Academy Award winning film Gandhi back in 1982 where she was also responsible for recruiting the Indian actors in the film and for some of the PR work on the...
. Of the festival, she said "This will open up avenues and provide a direction to youngsters".
A wide range of questions and discussions emerged from the audience of social activists, filmmakers, and film buffs, such as whether honor killing
Honor killing
An honor killing or honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community...
s are different from stoning
Stoning
Stoning, or lapidation, is a form of capital punishment whereby a group throws stones at a person until the person dies. No individual among the group can be identified as the one who kills the subject, yet everyone involved plainly bears some degree of moral culpability. This is in contrast to the...
s, how different are democracies with cartel
Cartel
A cartel is a formal agreement among competing firms. It is a formal organization of producers and manufacturers that agree to fix prices, marketing, and production. Cartels usually occur in an oligopolistic industry, where there is a small number of sellers and usually involve homogeneous products...
s and autocracies, what the relationship is between violence and families, and how individuals can effect change in the world.
Organizers
The festival was conceived and founded by Sridhar RangayanSridhar Rangayan
Sridhar Rangayan ) is an Indian filmmaker who has made films with special focus on queer subjects. His queer films, The Pink Mirror and Yours Emotionally, have been considered groundbreaking because of their realistic and sympathetic portrayal of the largely closeted Indian gay community...
, who is also the festival director. Gargi Sen is the co-director. The festival was organized by Solaris Pictures
Solaris Pictures
Solaris Pictures is an Indian film production company based in Mumbai. It was created by Sridhar Rangayan, and Saagar Gupta in 1991. The two have gone on to create several award winning films under Solaris Pictures' banner, focusing on LGBT issues and HIV/AIDS....
(Mumbai) along with Magic Lantern Foundation (New Delhi) and Movies That Matter (Netherlands) in association with the Alliance française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
.