„This human world“ – Austrian Human Rights Film Festival

About the Project

From 2 to 12 December 2009, the human rights film festival “This human world” took place for the second time, with the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR) as one of the main partners of the festival. On the occasion of International Human Rights Day (10 December), the festival aims to draw attention to the worldwide situation of human rights and to sensitise its audience to the issue. More than 130 films were screened during the festival, reflecting a variety of human rights issues, such as the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain, poverty and development, minority rights in China, Iran and the financial crisis.

As a research institution, the LBI-GMR took on the task of analysing the issues raised in the films from a human rights perspective and making them accessible to a wider audience by organising panel discussions with the LBI-GMR as well as invited experts. The events were another part of the seminar “Cinema and Human Rights”, which was offered for the third time at the University of Vienna in the winter semester.

During the festival, the LBI-GMR organised seven film screenings followed by panel discussions. One of the highlights of the festival was the documentary film “10 Conditions of Love” at the Burgkino, in the presence of Rebiya Kadeer, the president of the “World Uyghur Congress”, whose work and life for the Uyghur minority is portrayed in the film. Other films included “My brother’s keeper”, which documents the work of Manfred Nowak as UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, “Hotel Sahara” about the situation of migrants from Africa on their way to Europe (with Corinna Milborn as one of the panelists), “8” about the UN Millennium Development Goals (panel discussion with Marijana Grandits (AIDS 2010)); “Afghan Women behind the Wheel” (screening in the Audimax, which was then occupied by students); and “Crossing the Line” (with Mortem Kjearum, Director of the European Fundamental Rights Agency, on the panel).

The events organised by the LBI-GMR were attended by more than 1000 people. With around 10,000 guests, “this human world 2009” attracted twice as many visitors as in the previous year and is already one of the largest festivals in Austria in its second year of existence. The next edition of “this human world” is planned for 2 to 12 December 2010.

Link:  http://www.thishumanworld.athttp://human-rights.univie.ac.at

Projekt Data

  • Country: Austria
  • Participating persons: Anna Müller-Funk, Roland Schmidt, Julia Kozma (panel, “Crossing the Line”), Manfred Nowak (panel, “My brother’s keeper”), Julia Planitzer (panel, “Afghan Women behind the Wheel”), Helmut Sax (panel, “8”)
  • Contact: Roland Schmidt
  • Supporting organisation: Top Kino, Vienna
  • Project start: 12/2009
  • Project end: 12/2009
  • Project completed: Yes
  • Funded by: Wien Kultur, Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture, Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and others.
  • Sponsors: Erste Bank, DHL, Der Standard, Air Berlin, Museumsquartier, and others
  • Programme Line LBI-GMR: General Human Rights Issues