Beirut, 23 June 2025 (United Nations Information Centre in Beirut) — The Karama – Beirut Human Rights Film Festival (KBHRFF) kicks off its eighth edition on 27 June 2025, at 7 PM at Sunflower Theater, in Tayyouneh, Beirut, under the theme “Remember.” Organized by NGO “Art Factory 961,” the festival is held under the auspices of the Lebanese Ministry of Culture and in partnership with the United Nations Information Centre in Beirut (UNIC Beirut), the United Nations Development Programme in Lebanon (UNDP), UN Women in Lebanon, Fighters for Peace NGO, as well as the Embassies of Canada, Czech Republic and Germany in Lebanon.
The 8th edition focuses on memory and Human rights, particularly in the context of the wars, occupations, and displacement that continue to shape the region. Beyond these ongoing crises, the festival sheds light on the legal, social, and humanitarian challenges faced by the most vulnerable, including refugees, migrants, political dissidents, women, religious and ethnic minorities, local and foreign workers, and individuals with disabilities.
The festival runs from 27-30 June and features 14 films and documentaries – subtitled in both English and Arabic – from several countries in the world that document injustice and contribute to a deeper societal conversation on how to address historical and present-day human rights violations. (Program Attached)
Beyond screenings, the festival also includes discussions with directors, activists and experts, a side talk around the gendered memory of war and the critical role women play in peacebuilding and national healing, and a panel discussion around Memory and War and how memory, documentation and diverse narratives contribute to acknowledging Lebanon’s past.
Human rights films serve as an unflinching lens into hate speech, systemic violence, and injustice, ensuring that these narratives are not forgotten. The past cannot be erased, but through film, we can build a future grounded in truth and accountability.
Since its inception, KBHRFF has been the first human rights festival in Lebanon, serving as an interactive platform where the general public engages with civil society activists, filmmakers, producers, and artists from Lebanon, the Arab world, and beyond. KBHRFF stands as a beacon for promoting human rights by addressing issues such as child labor, bullying, racism, hate speech, discrimination, and injustice. Over the past nine years, the festival has provided a vital space for filmmakers to share their works that advocate for human rights.
In 2023, the seventh edition of the festival was held unde the theme “Hold On” and focused on holding on to the basics of the Human Rights Charter and on the diversity and inclusion of marginalized groups. In 2022, the sixth edition of the festival was held under the theme “The First Gate” and focused on the importance of reconciliation in moving towards a more peaceful and just society for everyone. In 2021, the fifth edition of the festival was held under the theme “Occupy the Void” and focused on the power and aspirations of young people for social and political change through public political participation. In 2019, the fourth edition of the festival was held under the theme “Talk to Her” and promoted Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality, while the third edition, held in 2018 under the motto “Free the Word,” aimed to support the freedom of expression that is liberated from traditional official models. In 2017, the second edition addressed the theme “New Identities” and focused on identities conflict, whereas the first edition was held in 2016 under the theme “The Others,” and aimed to raise awareness on the rights of refugees and minorities in Lebanon and the Arab World.
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For more information about the festival, visit the KBHRFF website below: https://karamabeirut.net/.