Human Rights Arts and Film Festival November 26, 2007

Late November and early December 2007 will see the launch of Australia's first Human Rights Arts and Film Festival (HRAFF), following the success of similar events in the UK, the US, France, Germany, South Africa, Thailand and New Zealand, among others. HRAFF's vision is a world in which every person takes responsibility to promote and protect human rights, both at home and abroad.

Through media including film, music and art, HRAFF aims to introduce people to human rights issues of interest - not through chanting and placards but through fun and entertainment, engagement and education. Paired with the 16-film element of the Festival are discussion forums following many of the movies, designed to tease out the issues raised by the films through the words of experts in the field, and action hubs, designed to provide Festival goers with further information and practical, easily-implemented lifestyle suggestions to result in positive human rights outcomes. All films will be screened at RMIT Capitol Theatre.

Apropos is the accompanying artistic exhibition, drawing together artists from Melbourne, around Australia and internationally, and will show at Bus Gallery, 117 Little Lonsdale Street. The exhibition aims to critically respond to current human rights issues and the role of art within that dialogue.

You can also check out the Festival, including the program, on-line at www.hraff.org.au. Tickets are available for sale now via the website (through Greentix), and include mini-Festival passes ($50 for 5 movies) and full Festival passes ($100 for all movies). Please support this new, fun and innovative event as it attempts to become a permanent fixture on Melbourne's cultural calendar.

Official Website: http://www.hraff.org.au/