DITSHWANELO’S HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL 2004

16 – 23 APRIL 2004, AS PART OF MAITISONG FESTIVAL

DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights is pleased to announce this year’s Human Rights Film Festival. The festival will be held during 16-23 April 2004, in conjunction with the Maitisong Festival. All the films will be screened at the Grand Palm Hotel Stardust Cinema.

The film festival is part of our awareness raising and education on human rights. Our mission includes the promotion of human rights with the aim of developing a human rights culture in Botswana. Also, with the aim of working towards an educated, informed, moral and tolerant Nation by 2016.

“…human rights education, training and public information are essential for the promotion and achievement of stable and harmonious relations among communities and for fostering mutual understanding, tolerance and peace.” Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education

The first DITSHWANELO film festival was held in 1996. We have however, since 2002, held two annual festivals in conjunction with Maitisong Festival. This, our third annual Maitisong-related festival, covers a variety of stories, with an emphasis on contemporary Southern Africa. The films carry a message about tolerance and understanding, as prerequisites for the respect of everybody’s human rights. This year, we are privileged to host the Directors of two of the films. They are Mr Craig Matthew (Ochre and Water) and Mr Mark Kaplan (Between Joyce and Remembrance).

The themes covered in the films include indigenous peoples in Southern Africa (The Himba of Namibia and the Basarwa/San of Southern Africa); the Truth and Reconciliation processes in South Africa; HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa; the death penalty in apartheid South Africa; and gay rights on Robben Island in the 1700s. The last film is based on a true story. It was screened at international film festivals late last year and will be continue to be screened internationally, this year.

The festival will be officially opened by Mr Bjorn Forde, the Resident Representative of UNDP on Friday 16 April 2004 at 7.00 p.m. Following that, the Director of one of the opening films, Ochre and Water, Mr Craig Matthew, will make a brief presentation.

On Tuesday 20 April 2004, introductory remarks will be made by Her Excellency Komane, the High Commissioner of South Africa at the beginning of the evening, at 7.30 p.m. After the screening of the first two films for the evening, Mr Mark Kaplan, the Director of Between Joyce and Remembrance, will make a brief presentation, prior to the screening.

Please contact us for detailed information about film titles, summaries and screening times. The tickets cost P25 per session. The afternoon costs P25, and so does the evening. The costs are not per film.

The sale of tickets will be at The Tickit Office (Riverwalk Mall) from Saturday 27 March 2004. Tickets will also be sold at the Stardust Cinema just before the screening of films. The proceeds of the ticket sales will go towards the work of DITSHWANELO.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for their kind donations towards the film festival. We have received donations in cash and kind from the following: The Grand Palm Hotel Casino Resort, Eve’s Club, Red Stone Film and Television, Shell Oil Botswana, Air Botswana, South African Express, Game, Cyberplex Africa, UB Basarwa Research Programme, US Embassy, Yarona FM, Lapologa, Alliance Française, Multichoice, Maru-a-Pula School – Friends of DITSHWANELO, and donations from individuals.

31 March 2004
Gaborone