Newsroom
First international human rights film festival in Tajikistan
DUSHANBE 27 October 2001
DUSHANBE, 27 October 2001 (OSCE) - The OSCE Mission to Tajikistan, in co-operation with the International Human Rights Film Festival "Stalker" and the Russian Federation Guild of Cinematographers, hosted the first human rights film festival to be held in the Tajik capital.
From 23 to 27 October, the film festival welcomed more than 5000 visitors of all ages and presented a broad range of Russian, Tajik and international films and documentaries on various human right aspects. The movies were thematically devoted to such issues as women and children's rights, refugees and deportees, death penalty and drugs.
The film festival programme included works of prominent Tajik filmmakers as Bakhtior Khudoinazarov ("Luna Papa"; 1999), Orzu Sharipov ("The Scent of Fatherland"; 1994) and Valeryi Akhadov ("New Russians"; 1995). Local human rights NGOs volunteered to facilitate the attendance of disabled children and orphans in the special children's programme, and the Union of Tajik Cinematographers assisted with technical support and expertise throughout the festival.
As part of the film festival, the OSCE Mission in Tajikistan also organized, in co-operation with the local NGO "Bureau for Human rights", a two-day seminar focusing on issues raised in the movies.
The Human Rights Film Festival was described in the Tajik press as a major contribution to civil society building and an outstanding effort to revive local cultural life around the theme of human rights. It was also considered a further step in bringing new intellectual perspectives to a convalescent society after years of civil war.
From 23 to 27 October, the film festival welcomed more than 5000 visitors of all ages and presented a broad range of Russian, Tajik and international films and documentaries on various human right aspects. The movies were thematically devoted to such issues as women and children's rights, refugees and deportees, death penalty and drugs.
The film festival programme included works of prominent Tajik filmmakers as Bakhtior Khudoinazarov ("Luna Papa"; 1999), Orzu Sharipov ("The Scent of Fatherland"; 1994) and Valeryi Akhadov ("New Russians"; 1995). Local human rights NGOs volunteered to facilitate the attendance of disabled children and orphans in the special children's programme, and the Union of Tajik Cinematographers assisted with technical support and expertise throughout the festival.
As part of the film festival, the OSCE Mission in Tajikistan also organized, in co-operation with the local NGO "Bureau for Human rights", a two-day seminar focusing on issues raised in the movies.
The Human Rights Film Festival was described in the Tajik press as a major contribution to civil society building and an outstanding effort to revive local cultural life around the theme of human rights. It was also considered a further step in bringing new intellectual perspectives to a convalescent society after years of civil war.