International Film Festival Docudays UA hits the road
On 5 October 2009 the sixth Travelling Human Rights Film Festival Docudays UA began a tour which will enable the residents of more than 100 cities and populated areas to view the best films of world documentary film-making. Last year the films were seen by more than 110 thousand people. The viewings took place in cinemas, art centres, educational institutions and others. One special event in 2008 was a separate presentation of the Film Festival pictures to staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The 2009 travelling festival will include films which won the main prizes at the Sixth International Film Festival Docudays UA, as well as films which have received awards at other international film festivals.
The subjects cover a broad range – from tales of people in extreme situations, war, natural or other disasters to issues of gender equality, discrimination, violations of the rights of children and people with disabilities.
Special place is given to stories of people who have overcome circumstances in their life, upheld their rights and attained their goal.
A new feature of this season is a special programme on documentary film against injustice, with this including publicist films on topical human rights issues in Ukraine.
During the festival, there will be press conferences, seminars, discussions, meetings with the film directors, human rights defenders and various experts.
The aim of the festival is, via cinema, to draw Ukrainian public attention to problems confronted by the man on the street, to promote the development of open dialogue on human rights and affirmation of human dignity as the highest value.
In each region the festival has local human rights or civic organization partners. More than 30 civic organizations will be involved in running the festival in regions of the country.
The tour is presently scheduled to last until 22 December, however the organizers would be happy to consider proposals from others wishing to run the film festival for their community.
The Sixth International Film Festival Docudays UA took place from 27 March to 2 April 2009, with over 60 films from 24 countries shown.
The films, master-classes, meetings with film directors, etc were attended by almost 18 thousand people.
Special projects of the travelling film festival include “The right to the truth”:
The media project studio “Vartovi demokratiyi” presents a programme of documentary films on investigations into violations of the rights of journalists and the media, freedom of speech, journalist ethics, corporative solidarity, impartiality, morality and countering the spread of corruption in the Ukrainian media, as well as the public’s right to objective information.
More information is available at http://docudays.org.ua/2009/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111&Itemid=89