Humankind Film Festival

Overview

In response to COVID-19, film festivals around the world have been making the shift to online programs for 2020 — and Australia's fests are no different. Sydney Film Festival is doing just that, as is the Melbourne International Film Festival. Also going virtual: the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival.

HRAFF's addition to the digital fold is called Humankind, and it runs between Monday, May 18–Sunday, May 24. Each day, it'll screen a different film online. And yes, while that means that the fest's lineup is quite small, it's also mostly free.

Although registering for tickets is still required, six of the seven movies on the program will be made available to viewers without paying a cent. You can opt to donate, though, if you can spare $2, $10 or $50.

On the bill: poignant New Zealand drama Whale Rider; documentary No Time for Quiet, about the Girls Rock! camp in Melbourne; and fellow music-focused doco Her Sound, Her Story, which explores the experiences of women in the industry. Or, you can check out environmental documentary Tomorrow, which is co-directed by Inglourious Basterds star Melanie Laurent; Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise, about the African American poet and activist; and Backtrack Boys, which dives into a jackaroo-led youth program.

Humankind is also screening excellent Aussie doco In My Blood It Runs, which tells the tale of 10-year-old Northern Territory resident Dujuan — and tickets to watch it online cost $15.