Under the theme, “Stand with me for rights in PNG,” the 10th annual PNG Human Rights Film Festival opens again this evening in Port Moresby, at the Moresby Arts Theatre.
It will take place from Thursday, 17 October to Sunday, 20 October. With free admission, the Festival is open to the public and seeks to strengthen public discourse and engagement on critical issues impacting the country.
To celebrate the Festival’s 10th anniversary, the program will challenge the public to consider what they want human rights in PNG to look like in 10 years, and how that vision can be achieved.
Showcasing 30 international and local films, the Festival will explore how the public can actively engage in addressing gender-based violence, maternal and child health, equality, child rights, freedom of expression, climate change and conservation, and the Bougainville referendum. Panel discussions led by experts active in Government and civil society will be moderated by Cullighan Tanda and Dagia Aka.
The Festival will open with a launch of the film “Unheard voices” on maternal and child health in PNG, followed by “Vai”, a film on gender equality made in eight Pacific countries by eight Pacific female filmmakers, including Kerry Warkia from PNG. Festival favourites “Splinters,” “Tanna” and “Power Meri” will return this year, along with new films, such as “Vala North” on traditional conservation methods in New Ireland, and “No Moa” which highlights addressing gender based violence is everybody’s business.
The Festival in Port Moresby, follows Madang and Lae which hosted the Festival on 27-29 September and 2-4 October. After this week, the Festival will continue on to Goroka on 23-25 October at the University of Goroka, before ending in Alotau in November.