Human Rights Arts and Film Festival 2014

Overview

Go to the movies, visit an exhibition and feel good doing it. Now in its seventh year, the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival will once again shine a light on contemporary human rights issues through a carefully curated line-up of film, art projects and forums.

Things kicks off on May 8 with a screening of the Oscar-nominated doco The Square, which was shot on the ground during the Egyptian Revolution. It's one of more than a dozen hard-hitting documentaries on the program, whose subjects range from Brazilian police-officers, Indonesian sulphur miners and women imprisoned for "moral crimes" in Afghanistan.

Thankfully, not all the movies at the HRAFF are quite so heavy. More esoteric options include a documentary on breastfeeding and another about sex amongst the elderly (don't act like you're not intrigued). There's also an assortment of short films in both local and international flavours, plus a whole afternoon's worth of animated propaganda.

In the arts stream, Vietnam/Australia: Voicing the Unspoken brings together five contemporary artists, whose combined works explore the refugee experience in Australia. Also of note is Ryan Presley's Lesser Gods, an immersive media installation piece that reflects our colonial and indigenous history.

Patrons will also be able to engage with the filmmakers and artists directly, through a series of Q&A panel discussions. Acclaimed Australian director Ian Darling will even host a documentary masterclass, for any eager patrons hoping to change the world themselves.

The Human Rights Arts and Films Festival will run from May 8-22 at ACMI. For a full program, visit the festival website.