“It was like a movie and I feel like a movie star.” “These past five days have been enriching!” “I am grateful for every moment, every film, every discussion, visit and every conversation with other participants. I can’t wait to come here again!” These are just some of the impressions of the participants of the second iteration of the Human Rights Day program, organized by the Sarajevo Film Festival in partnership with the Institute for Youth Development KULT and the Young European Ambassadors Network (YEA).
Many people face double standards in their everyday life – being different from everyone else makes it more difficult for them to exercise their rights and leads them to lose out on opportunities. Discrimination against women, Roma, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and many others has become normalized while governments work on anti-discrimination legislation. But what does it take to change social perceptions, and is legislation ever going to be enough? How can we make society a better place for all of us?
The 29th Sarajevo Film Festival showed that film, art, and culture can open up a space for talking about these important and sensitive topics. SFF held its second Human Rights Day program from August 12 to 17, 2023. The program brought together young activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and representatives from the Network of Young European Ambassadors which is comprised of youth from across the Western Balkans. During the six-day program, participants engaged in discussions on human rights and explored the impact of art, particularly film, in addressing human rights violations.
The Human Rights Day program aimed to foster understanding among young people through a blend of artistic expression in film, academic discourse, and activism. It encouraged participants to view individuals beyond stereotypes and embrace diversity.
During the six-day program, young participants from across the Western Balkans had the opportunity to watch recent and impactful films, including “Izgubljena zemlja” (The Lost Land) directed by Vladimir Perišić and “Najsretniji čovjek na svijetu” (The Happiest Man in the World) directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska, who collaborated with Elma Tataragić on the script. In addition to watching films, participants had the opportunity to attend various workshops and talks where they engaged in discussions with different people from the film industry. They explored important themes such as the intersection of art and human rights protection, the experiences of women in the film industry, and the prospect of a future where women play a main role.
The most important part of the program was the screening of “SNAJKA: Dnevnik očekivanja” (Daughter-in-law: Diary of Expectations), a film directed and written by Tea Vidović Dalipi. The screening was organized as part of the 15th Human Rights Day program with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “Snajka: “Dnevnik očekivanja” is a documentary that follows the story of Tea and Mirsad, a Croatian-Roma couple, and their daughter Frida. The film explores their journey as they navigate the challenges of living together, balancing family pressures with the compromises they are both willing to make. The screening was followed by a panel discussion centered around the topic of “Navigating expectations: The Road to Understanding Discrimination and Cultural Differences,” which was moderated by journalist and director Robert Zuber as well as Coffee with… the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, during which the participants discussed the devastating consequences of human rights violations and how young people can join the fight for basic human rights.
Despite being only the second time the event was organized in this format, the Human Rights Day program proved to be educational, engaging, and inspiring for the participants. They particularly appreciated the opportunity to engage in a discussion and share opinions with the directors, screenwriters, and protagonists of the films watched.
The photo gallery is available at HERE.
Photo credit: EU Info Center, United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sarajevo Film Festival
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