17/07/2026
The Human Rights Film Fest – Rome is now accepting submissions.
Founded in 2025 by Ars Mundi APS, the Human Rights Film Fest is an international film
festival dedicated to promoting human rights through cinema, culture and public dialogue.
Based in Rome, the festival brings together filmmakers, journalists, academics, artists,
human rights defenders and civil society organizations to foster critical reflection on the most
urgent global issues of our time.
The festival believes that cinema is a powerful tool for awareness, participation and social
change. Through carefully curated film screenings, public talks, panel discussions, readings,
exhibitions and meetings with filmmakers and activists, the Human Rights Film Fest creates
an open space where culture becomes a catalyst for dialogue, civic engagement and
intercultural understanding.
Each edition focuses on key international contexts and contemporary human rights
challenges, exploring themes such as freedom of expression, gender equality, forced
migration, indigenous peoples' rights, environmental justice, democracy and peace. The
programme combines international feature documentaries with an International Human
Rights Short Film Competition, promoting emerging filmmakers and supporting the
circulation of independent cinema from around the world.
The 2026 edition will take place from 9 to 13 September 2026 in Rome and will feature five
thematic days dedicated to Palestine, Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Latin America.
Each day combines film screenings with conversations involving filmmakers, journalists,
researchers, writers and representatives of international organizations working in the field of
human rights.
The festival is developed in collaboration with a wide network of cultural and institutional
partners, including Amnesty International Italy, Pangea ETS, CISDA – Italian
Coordination Supporting Afghan Women, Survival International Italy, Gariwo – The
Gardens of the Righteous Worldwide, Diari di Cineclub, the Human Rights Festival of
Naples, Italia-Birmania Insieme, the Taipei Representative Office in Italy, GILOO and
other national and international organizations committed to human rights, cultural
cooperation and independent cinema.
Following the on-site event, the selected short films will also be presented online through the
international streaming platform GILOO, extending the festival's international reach and
increasing the visibility of participating filmmakers and their work.
More than a film festival, the Human Rights Film Fest is a platform for international cultural
exchange, bringing together cinema, journalism, research and civil society to amplify
underrepresented voices, encourage cross-cultural dialogue and promote human rights
through the universal language of film.
🌐 Website: https://www.hrff.it/
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanrightsfilmfest
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightsfilmfestrome
Human Rights Film Fest
