U.S. Human Rights at the Movies
Human Rights Watch’s annual Human Rights Film Festival is in full swing at Lincoln Center in New York City. U.S. human rights issues are well-represented in this year’s film selections. Private Violence addresses violence against women in the home. Out in the Night focuses on the challenges facing lesbian youth in New York City. The Homestretch follows homeless teens in Chicago. Several of the films offer profiles of individuals — transgender activist and former US Navy SEAL Kristen Beck, for example, and the outspoken George Takei of Star Trek fame, a victim of U.S. Japanese internments now speaking out for gay rights.
The NY Times notes that 16 of the 22 films featured at the festival are directed by women. According to the Times, “[t]he festival’s emphasis on women is measured not only by the number of female directors but also by the tone of their films,” particularly noting the intimate portrait provided in Private Violence.
While the Human Rights Watch festival provides a showcase for independent films and filmakers, some advocacy groups also work closely with filmmakers to create a final product that supports the US human rights movement. The National Economic and Social Rights Initiative in 2010 served as Executive Producer of Coming Home: the Dry Storm, a documentary on post-Katrina housing which won the Patois Film Festival Jury Award in New Orleans. Similarly, the Coalition of Imokalee Workers (CIW) collaborated closely on Food Chains, a film on the fair food campaign led by CIW. The film was screened at at the Tribeca film festival. For Professor Mark Gibney’s rankings of 101 best Human Rights movies (both features and documentaries), including many focused on the U.S., check out the recent book Watching Human Rights: The 101 Best Films, published in 2013.
If thinking about these movies makes you want to reach for your popcorn, don’t wait. The Human Rights Watch Film Festival ends June 22.