Mission and vision

Our mission is to broaden views on human rights. We use film to stir the debate on human rights, sustainability and the fight against injustice. We believe that film has the unprecedented capacity to raise awareness and provide new insight. What cannot be accomplished by spoken and written language, is sometimes achieved by motion picture.

We create impact by asking questions and providing context and insight. We screen films in combination with a vast expansion programme, in the form of discussions, introductions, Q&A sessions, workshops and teaching aids.

Our vision is that film as an art form is an exceptionally strong medium. Where words and writing sometimes fail to really touch people, cinema can break through indifference or cynicism. It is precisely this capacity that makes film the ideal means of involving people in the fight for human rights and a sustainable society. We generate impact by holding up a mirror, providing insight and asking questions. However, we never see film as a conclusive plea, but as the starting point for a process of opinion forming. We do this at home and abroad with films from home and abroad.

Our core tasks are to show films about human rights and to stimulate screenings of films about human rights. We accomplish these core tasks through the organisation of the annual Movies that Matter Festival, educational activities, organising events, advisory work inland and abroad and supporting festivals worldwide. We do not support film production.

Films are at the heart of all Movies that Matter activities. But what makes a movie a movie that matters? All the films that are made are important in one way or another. We do not determine which films are important or not. We do determine which films we consider important or not. In the first instance, we select films on the basis of artistic quality. The film must utilise the possibilities of the medium in a stimulating or refreshing way. We also value the maker’s vision. With an idiosyncratic vision, they can give us an innovative picture of reality. We do not limit ourselves to a form or genre. The common denominator of these films is that they deal with situations in which human dignity is at stake. In the selection we consider the urgency of the theme and the way in which the film can contribute to the knowledge and opinion of our audience.

Targets

To realise the above mission, Movies that Matter distinguishes the following two objectives:

1. showing of and providing in-depth programmes to human rights films
2. stimulating and promoting the screening of human rights films