FINAL REPORT ONE WORLD 2008 INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 10TH EDITION 5TH –13TH MARCH 2008 Held under the auspices of Václav Havel, Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička, Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg, Mayor of Prague Pavel Bém, Governors of twelve districts, Mayors of individual festival cities Organised by the People in Need Foundation ONE WORLD 2008 the festival took place in Prague and 28 other festival website hosted 220,000 visitors from the Czech cities (16 cities in 2007) beginning of February till mid March 138 films from 39 countries screened One World special at the website of Czech TV (9 feature documentaries, 20 shorts, 20 social unprecedented audience turnout – 44,911 in spots, 60 trailers) seen by 90,000 visitors from Prague (out of which 10,327 were pupils and the beginning of February till the end of March students), which is 10,000 more than in 2007 The most often seen film Surplus was viewed an additional 55,095 viewers in 28 Czech cities 7,005 times (out of which 33,597 in school screenings), representing an increase in turnout by 20,000 Czech TV slot Evening about… devoted to One World was watched by 236,000 viewers total turnout of the 10th edition surpassed the limit of one hundred thousand, which is 28,000 special screenings for school film clubs and boy more than last year and girl scouts attendance of 135 Czech and international guests debates, workshops, seminars, music festival specials on Czech TV, Radio 1, Czech at the NGO Forum, which took place for the Radio Radio Česko, aktualne.cz, tyden.cz, festival first time during One World, about forty NGOs supplements in the dailies Lidové noviny, MF presented their activities Dnes and Deník Bohemia and in The Prague Post 425 accredited journalists in Prague and other festival cities, 590 citations in the media ONE WORLD 2008 | International human rights documentary film festival | 10th edition | 5th–13th March 2008 | Page 1 The successful design worked with the main theme of the On the day of the opening, Václav Havel met dissidents 10th edition – present–day dictators. from dictatorships at the panel discussion Dissidents and Freedom at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The gala opening took place on two locations simultaneously: At the Lucerna cinema, the opening was directed by the at the Prague Crossroads, a part of the ceremony was the Buchty a loutky puppet theatre group. award-giving of the Homo Homini Award to Burmese activists. The opening film of the 10th edition was Lisa Jackson’s The film The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo sold out The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo. four screenings. The Club of Friends of People in Need released half a million crowns to aid the women of Congo. The festival patron has for a number of years been Václav Havel. The festival was held under the auspices of Václav Havel, He personally attended the opening in the Prague Crossroads the Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička and the Mayor facility and the awards giving during the Closing Ceremony. of Prague Pavel Bém. ONE WORLD 2008 | International human rights documentary film festival | 10th edition | 5th–13th March 2008 | Page 2 Most of the screenings were sold out; due to great The audience vote proved that the festival goers were demand, several screenings were added. satisfied with the programme. The Plzeňský Prazdroj Audience Award went to the director’s cut of Citizen Havel. The now traditional screenings for pupils of elementary …as did screenings for high schools students. schools formed a part of the festival programme… Over one hundred international filmmakers and One of the biggest stars of the 10th edition was the professionals came to the festival. They took part in Q&As French director Claude Lanzmann. He attended the and panel debates. screening of the film Words And Death. One of the most popular off–programme events was the Alongside films, audiences of One World could participate concert of Sly Rabbits and DUB.O.NET in the Lucerna in workshops, debates, the NGO Forum, visit exhibitions Music Bar. and watch the fashion show T–shirt against Communism. ONE WORLD 2008 | International human rights documentary film festival | 10th edition | 5th–13th March 2008 | Page 3 The success of the festival partly resulted from the team of experienced organizers… …and ninety volunteers. Awards giving in Lucerna cinema: Andrej Nekrasov receives the Rudolf Vrba Award. One World Citylight posters were visible all over Prague. ONE WORLD 2008 | International human rights documentary film festival | 10th edition | 5th–13th March 2008 | Page 4 MAIN THEME OF THE EDITION In 2008 the world commemorates On the day of the opening the The subject of dictators is also the 60th anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted incorporated into the visual style adoption of the Universal a meeting and debate of the of this year’s festival. The author Declaration of Human Rights. festival patron Václav Havel with of the theme is Petr Vlasák, One World, on the contrary, with the members of the Rudolf Vrba Comtech Group. The theme of its special programme section Jury, i.e. dissidents and freedom puppet dictators who constantly named “Dictatorships in the fighters from the countries ruled play the same old boring tune Spotlight” offered a reminder that by the worst contemporary and who get driven off the stage despite the fact that dictatorial dictatorships (Burma, Cuba, North by an infuriated audience was regimes have collapsed in Korea) under the title Dissidents developed by the Hafan Film a number of countries in recent and Freedom. puppet studio under the direction decades (including what are now of the renowned animator Jan the Czech and the Slovak “The name of the One World Balej. The music was composed Republics), there are many other festival is not just a reference to by the well known musician Jarda places where concepts such as the cultural and spiritual Svoboda from the band Traband. freedom and human rights are still environment and civilisation that taboo. we live in as well as to the interconnectedness of its parts Besides dictatorships that the and the mutual interdependence media at least sometimes notice, of all things. It is also a warning such as Cuba, Belarus, Burma, that we don’t have another world Sudan and North Korea, this also at our disposal and we never will concerns countries that have been have either,” says Václav Havel. ignored, e.g. Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Zimbabwe. ONE WORLD 2008 | International human rights documentary film festival | 10th edition | 5th–13th March 2008 | Page 5 FROM THE AUDIENCE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRES Thank you for the incredible energy Truly special guests (filmmakers, I was pleased by probably the of the festival organisers, and for guests directly from countries dealt same thing as you: that there are a great selection. My overall with by the films). So many so many people in the Czech experience of the marathon interesting films, I did not manage Republic who care about the topic. screening is beyond words; I am to see all those I would have It was a pleasant surprise to see truly grateful for this annual concise loved to. It is a brilliant idea to the cinemas crowded. Thank you view of the world we live in… add extra screenings of sold out for the good experience. I already films (although I could not come to look forward to the next edition. Most of all I enjoy the these matinee screenings as I had atmosphere of the festival, and to be at work). I am happy the festival exists; the organisers’ willingness to there is nothing else to say. present exhaustive information to The information value and quality given topics, and also the of screened films were very high, Atmosphere, cinemas packed with presence of filmmakers or the focus and covered issues wide young people. A very cultivated and protagonists… It’s great that this and representative. Thank you. kind approach of all organisers. festival exists and that advertising brings it to the awareness of Professionalism, atmosphere, spirit. One World is a beautiful thing; many people. Beautiful. thank you for it! I was most impressed by the film I am pleased that the festival Excellent, excellent, excellent. The The Greatest Silence: Rape in the extends to the world and grows idea itself is excellent, its Congo. I think it many people into an event of global importance! execution is unique. Amazing would have been moved by it. guests. Representation of the After the screening, I enrolled in The unchanged enthusiasm – of Czech Republic – priceless. the Club of Friends of People in the festival organisers… it show in Thank you! Need. the atmosphere, even after ten years! Congratulations! The best festival in the Czech Republic! ONE WORLD 2008 | International human rights documentary film festival | 10th edition | 5th–13th March 2008 | Page 6 GALA OPENING IN PRAGUE The jubilee tenth One World began on the 5th of In the Prague Crossroads, or the deconsecrated March 2008 simultaneously in Prague Crossroads and church of St. Ann, Václav Havel awarded three the Lucerna and Světozor cinemas. Both cinemas Burmese activists the Homo Homini Award. screened Lisa Jackson’s The Greatest Silence: Rape The three activists Phyu Phyu Thin, Su Su Nway in the Congo. and Nilar Thein were represented by Ms Lea Lea New. People in Need grants the Homo Homini This alarming film about mass rape of women in war- Award annually to individuals in recognition of torn Congo inspired the festival organiser, the People dedication to the promotion of human rights, in Need Foundation, to provide immediate aid of half democracy and non–violent solutions to political a million Czech crowns.