Human Right Watch Film Festival NYC starts Thursday

With current events marching as they are the Human Right Watch Film Festival  New York Digital Edition is ending up being a timely event.

I know the festival had asked me to do a big write up of the festival  and the films (reviews are coming over the next few days)  explaining why the festival is important but I really don't have words. There is nothing I can say that simply saying  will top "look what is happening in the streets of New York and the rest of America and you will know why this festival is so damn important." HRW brings together to open minds and to get conversations started so that someday the need for the festival will be gone, as will the need to protest injustice across the globe.

HRW is one of the most important festivals of the year. It is a festival I have tried to cover  as completely as possible because what it does s so important. It is a festival that doesn't just play here in New York but across the globe. I recently ran some pieces about the going on in London. There are other versions in Amsterdam, Copenhagen Toronto, Los Angeles... all show a mix of different films. Additionally I want to cover the festival because every year it runs not just important films some of the best as well.

As this posts I have seen all of the films except three. All of them are good. While I will be hard pressed to say what is best I will say that I'm guessing the one film everyone will be taling about is DOWN A DARK STAIRWELL about the accidental shooting of a Black man by an Asian NYPD cop in a darkened stairwell. The film explores not only the treatment of the NYPD of minorities but also the racial relations between the minorities as well. There is a lot to ponder especially in light of current events.

Also of interest on a current events level is THE BELLY OF THE BEAST which concerns how the California penal system was sterilizing female inmates against their will. It will rock you.

I leave the rest for you to explore.

I should mention that the films will be available to screen at anytime from June 11 to 20th. However there will be a Q&A with a different filmmaker every day check the schedule I linked to below.

For the schedule, details on the films and how to buy tickets go here