Movies that Matter: Powerful films that shed light on foreign policy themes | Information

News article | 17-04-2023 | 15:01

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Culture is the daily focus of Dewi van de Weerds at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Previously, however, she was also involved in human rights. These two areas come together in Movies that Matter. Dewi explains: Through art and culture, this festival sheds light on complex human rights issues. Topics include gender, racism, slavery and its legacy, media freedom and more: all areas that are central to the work of foreign ministries.

And the winner is

It’s no surprise that Dewi feels comfortable on the Activist Documentary Award judging panel. We considered eight films for this year’s award, and what impressed me the most was the quality of each one. Without exception, each film told an important story that was also a call to action on a particular theme.

After long deliberations, the jury selected the film that stood out from the others. Our winner was Seven winters in Tehran, says Dewi. It’s a beautifully made film that tells the story of a huge injustice inflicted on a young woman in Iran. And given the difficulties that women in Iran face today, this is extremely topical.

The jury awarded a special mention to A story of bones, a film on the theme of the transatlantic slave trade. It’s about the island of Saint Helena and the activist who ensures that the remains of former slaves are buried with all the respect they deserve. We felt compelled to highlight this film, because next year the Netherlands will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, explains Dewi.

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Bahia Tahzib-Lie, human rights ambassador at the Foreign Ministry, agrees. During Activist Night, before the screening of A story of bones, she spoke about the themes of racism and slavery and how they relate to the themes of the festival. Movies that Matter is a platform for stories that often don’t grab the public’s attention as they should, she says. I speak to human rights activists from around the world during my working visits, and each of them has inspiring stories to tell. Notoriety is growing, and that’s good. For example, awareness of how we think about things, judge them, discuss them and respond to them. The films screened during Movies that Matter have the power to inspire and challenge us.

Embassies are mobilizing

Focused on social issues, Movies that Matter is an annual event held in many Dutch embassies. Dewi explains: Each year, the organization provides six films to our embassies. Many of them organize screenings in the hope that the films will have the most impact on their networks.

mini-film festival

Dewi has direct experience of what these screenings can do. For example, the embassy in Tirana has come up with a very clever formula: it asks all the organizations it works with during the year to organize their own screenings. This enables them to reach people in their own target groups. The format proved so popular that it became a mini film festival.

Dewi encourages everyone to see as many films as possible, but especially this year’s winner. Movies that matter are so important. With their remarkable visuals, the films offer Dutch people a tangible introduction to a range of global issues and the activists behind the stories.