“What if…?” is the question the artist asks while holding out a mirror to the world, as does the activist who speaks up in a debate. As the 16th edition of the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights begins in Geneva, the rst word that comes to our mind is “awakening”.
What if, in 2018, our awakening was a jolt? Today, what triggers our commitment to a cause ? Why does a situation suddenly become unbearable ? What urges us to stand up, defend democracy and the freedom of another?
It is the exploration of this urge that has guided the program of an edition we dreamt as open and generous, while defying gravity and ignoring vertigo, like its poster by Li Wei. Our Festival will never offer easy answers but aspires to ask the right questions. During 10 days, we will reassess our political and geographical borders, with stunning lms and unpredictable debates, while breaking artistic boundaries, with readings, live shows, photography, comic strips and living art.
Let us try to give renewed meaning to the words commitment, curiosity, truth, freedom and desire.
Over the course of 10 days, our challenge will be to make intelligence more appealing than foolishness and make complexity attractive. Together, we will remain rigorous, attentive, surprised and open to new visions to make our world a fairer place.
… What if ? What if gender boundaries were arbitrary ? What if we attempted to rede ne culture as the testimony of our time ? What if
we dared to defend utopia ? What if we gave the concept of truth its meaning back ? What if human rights could be enriched by complexity, different identities, shifting boundaries and by action ?
What if, instead of jumping into the void, we tried taking ight ?
Explore this Festival, dissect it, turn it over, live it: it is yours. We wish you 10 unforgettable days. (Isabelle Gattiker) – FIFDH
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