Human Rights Festival 2018: reflections of a film student

Film studies student Vladimir Stoilkov writes:

Angela Hatherell came to one of our first Film Festivals and Exhibition classes and talked about the Oxford Human Rights Festival. What she said about the previous year's festival made me very interested. I did some research when I got home and decided to contact her and ask to join this year's committee and shortly after this I was a member. 

Clara Blackings from the Brookes School of Nursing

chairs a panel discussion on mental health

after the screening of Loving Vincent

In the beginning, I did not know what to expect from the festival but when I arrived at the first meeting everyone was very friendly and very passionate about the issues the festival was concerned with. This made it very easy for me to fit in and come up with my own ideas. The main one that I came up with was a screening of the first fully painted animation film Loving Vincent. I believe Vincent Van Gogh is a very important figure that I look up to and his story is very relevant to the festival's theme - Identity. The rest of the committee was equally excited about the idea of screening this film and were very encouraging. This way, I believed I was doing something important and looked forward to each meeting and would talk to my friends about the festival all the time.

Film studies students make a trailer for the festival, featuring DEP students

During the actual festival from 12-17 March, I had some of my most fulfilling and exciting time from all of my three years of uni. Together with two other committee members, Luigi and Alex, we were in charge of filming and photographing most of the events. This was very exhausting but the three of us enjoyed it a lot since we are film students. We met a load of great people during this time such as Sonam Anjatsang (director of Little Tibet documentary) and Sherwan Haji (lead actor, The Other Side Of Hope) with whom I am now personal friends. 

Listening to all the discussions, talks and Q&As made me even more interested in spreading awareness about human rights issues and art. I think being part of this year's festival provided me with a valuable learning experience. I have strong faith in this festival and I hope I am able to join again next year.

Identity - Oxford Human Rights Festival 2018

The 16th Oxford Human Rights Festival begins on 12 March, with the theme of Identity. We talked to one of the organizing committee, DEP student Miriam Slaymaker, to find out more about this year's theme and what it is like to be involved with the festival.

Why are you interested in the festival?

I am interested in the festival since it allows me, as part of the committee, to emphasize the relationship between the citizens and the power a government has over them.  Overuse and misuse of well-meant powers granted or given to a government by itself can result in the reduction or inhibition of the rights of all humans affected by it.

What do human rights and identity mean to you?

Human rights and personal identity is incredibly important. One's right to a personal identity begins with the right to life. We know that it is only through existing that one can cultivate their personal identity. Identity is a part of your right to how you differentiate and are differentiated from other individuals with their own identities among the masses of humanity.  

What does it have to do with DEP?

This festival is intertwined with my master's course 'Development and Emergency Practice', in particular this year's theme because it is about identity - what we have learnt is that forced migrants, internally displaced people, environmental migrants and trafficked people can be left in a liminal phase. A liminal phase can not only affect an individual's attitude and perception of their own identity but also the host nation's perception of them.

Your favourite bits?

I have enjoyed being behind the scenes, seeing how committee members communicate and work together to produce such a powerful week full of information, performances and speakers.

What it is like behind the scenes?

Behind the scenes, preparing for this event, was a lot of work of various kinds - not physically stressing, but mentally.  For me, it was continual phone calls and a lot of leg work; many, many, rejections, or just being ignored and not responded to while trying to contact someone.  While supporting, promoting, and trying to source funding for this festival, in the midst of pursuing my degree, it was difficult to find time for a semblance of a personal life. But I know that it is for a worthy cause and that I would regret not being a part of it more so than anything else.

Identity: Oxford Human Rights Festival 2018

Angela Hatherell writes:

Students from across the University are invited to join the organizing committee for the 16th Oxford Human Rights Festival. The Festival will take place here at Oxford Brookes 12-17 March 2018 and we start planning from the beginning of semester one. The Festival is free and open to everyone.

The Festival is an initiative of CENDEP students and the aim is to raise awareness of human rights issues, through the arts. Students will produce a programme of films, performance, workshops, and talks around this year’s theme of Identity according to their own particular interests.

In 2017 we opened with a packed screening of Ken Loach’s hard hitting film I, Daniel Blake, with a Q&A with the director, and we hope that the 2018 Festival will build on that success. Other high profile speakers in recent years have included Ziaddiun Yousafzai, diplomat and father of Malala, Professors Barbara Harrell-Bond and Alexander Betts of the Oxford University Refugee Studies Centre, and Sarah Gavron, director of the highly acclaimed film Suffragette.

The Festival has recently become a part of the British Arts Festivals Association and also an international network of human rights arts festivals organised by the International Human Rights Art Festival in New York.

If you are interested in getting involved or finding out more email us on OxHRF@brookes.ac.uk, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @OxHRF, like our page on Facebook at facebook.com/oxfordhumanrightsfestival and check out our website www.oxfordhumanrightsfestival.net 

The 2016 festival organizing committee

Further reading on the Oxford Human Rights Festival on the CENDEP blog:

Reflecting on the Oxford Human Rights Festival II

Reflecting on the Oxford Human Rights Festival I

Human rights festival focuses on Home

From homeland to hostland: understanding adversity through art