With screenings on both sides of the Bay, Human Rights Watch’s Sixth Annual Film Festival returns to the Bay Area with films that tackle the world’s most pressing human rights issues.  
 
This year’s festival will be held at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley from February 2-24 and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco from March 13-30. The festival features nine films from around the world that follow the pursuit of justice for the victims of war crimes, explore the links between human rights and the protection of the environment, and investigate several countries’ political systems from the ground up – among many other themes.  
 
Since its launch in New York in 1994 – and the Bay Area in 2003 – Human Rights Watch’s International Film Festival has used the power of film to make a difference. These documentary and feature films by courageous and committed filmmakers stimulate passionate conversations about human rights and inspire new generations of human rights activists. By bringing viewers the universal language of film, we connect the experiences of survivors and activists with our own experiences – a critical step in influencing public opinion and policy makers to defend human rights around the world.