Cinema Human Rights and Advocacy
The Global Campus of Human Rights
Key Information
Campus location
Venice, Italy
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
10 days
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 1,900
Application deadline
30 May 2024
Earliest start date
26 Aug 2024
Introduction
The 19th edition of the Summer School in Cinema Human Rights and Advocacy is a training initiative jointly developed by the Global Campus of Human Rights (GC) and Picture People. The school is aimed at participants wishing to broaden their understanding on the connections between human rights, films, digital media and video advocacy, and learn how to use film as a tool for social change. The 10-day programme provides a safe, culturally rich and collaborative environment where diversity and inclusivity are embraced, original and critical thinking are encouraged, skills are honed, creativity is unleashed and networking with experts from the human rights arena and professionals from the film industry at the 81st Venice International Film Festival is supported.
The programme has a cross-cutting focus on environmental rights in the broader framework of human rights protection and promotion and its impact on young generations and local communities. The course is designed to appeal to participants from diverse backgrounds, nationalities and experiences.
Why choose this course?
- Advance understanding of the intersection between visual media, human rights and advocacy
- Unique film festival experience
- Networking with like-minded people from across the world as well as international experts
- Guidance and mentoring from faculty on individual projects on a voluntary basis
Gallery
Ideal Students
Experts and advocates of human rights, media, NGO, advocacy and the third (voluntary) sector and anyone who uses or is interested in using audio-visual media as a tool for promoting human rights and social change are encouraged to apply to the Summer School.
The School selects a maximum of 30 participants.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Deadline for scholarship applicants: 30 April 2024
The Global Campus of Human Rights is offering a number of allowance opportunities (subject to approval of external funding) in the form of tuition waivers and/or partial reimbursement of expenses to applicants who can demonstrate to have a strong environmental rights component and a project proposal having an impact preferably on younger generations and/or local communities.
Selection criteria for scholarship recipients are:
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Experience of or interest in environmental rights-related issues
- A project proposal related to environmental rights which can have impact preferably on younger generations and/or local communities
- Experience of or interest in working in visual media
- Strong motivation focused on the ability or potential to benefit the public or a particular community or sector by attending the Summer School.
Furthermore, applications from talented young women and men between 18 and 25 who wish to broaden their interest in combining environmental rights with advocacy and visual media are encouraged.
Candidates should fill in the application form by demonstrating how their participation at the Summer School will further develop their contribution to environmental rights-related issues and to their future career and what is the expected impact of their project in impacting younger generations and/or local communities.
Shortlisted candidates will undergo a 10-minute interview on Zoom.
Curriculum
Course dates: 26 August – 4 September 2024
The aim of the course is to equip participants with a better understanding of the intersection between visual media, human rights and advocacy, and to provide skills and best practices on how to use visual media in the fields of human rights research and advocacy.
The course is structured in learning activities such as lectures, practical workshops, working groups, tutorials, film screenings and film discussions.
During and beyond teaching activities, you will have the opportunity to expand your professional network and connect with inspiring people through peer learning, facilitators’ mentoring, and interaction with film industry people present at the Venice International Film Festival.
The school covers the following core themes:
- Introduction to Human Rights and Environmental Rights
- Video in Human Rights Documentation and Advocacy
- Storytelling for Social Change
- Climate Litigation
- Trauma Informed Practice and Self Care
- Human Rights Skepticism
- Challenges of Working in Hostile Environment
- Ethical Challenges in Visual Media
- Social Impact Documentary Production
- Impact Strategy and Distribution
Methodology
Nick Danziger and Claudia Modonesi, Picture People’s directors, will run the 10-day programme with the contribution of experts in the fields of environmental rights, advocacy, film studies, film production and impact.
The course will be delivered with a combination of:
- Lectures to introduce a specific topic using a diverse range of media and teaching tools
- Workshops to develop and apply a particular skill or technique
- Working in small groups to encourage peer learning, develop critical thinking and actively engage participants to learn by doing through practical exercises
- Optional tutorials in 1-2-1 with tutors and/or experts to discuss and feedback on a personal project proposal
- Film festival screenings to reflect on and apply the framework of understanding acquired in the course to a selection of human rights related films in the Venice International Film Festival
- Private meeting with filmmakers and/or producers of the selected festival screenings to discuss issues inherent to the film production, content, and filmmakers’ distinctive style
Program Outcome
By taking this course, you’ll be able to:
- Gain knowledge, insights and perspectives on the role of visual media to influence change, and raise awareness on human rights issues
- Develop a critical thinking through reflection, dialogue and film analysis, to debate human rights issues
- Develop a toolbox of strategies, best practices, tips and techniques on how to tell, report, document and investigate stories for social change
- Understand ethical challenges in using visual media in your work, gain insight on how to deal with people affected by trauma, and develop self-care