The 15th edition of the Movies that Matter Festival focuses on Iran with a special themed programme.

The murders of Mahsa Amini and Hadis Najafi in 2022 were the immediate cause for major demonstrations and protests, both in Iran and internationally. All the more reason for the festival to invite three Iranian filmmakers as main guests: Maryam Ebrahimi, Ali Asgari and Nafiss Nia. The public programme Iranian Classics also pays tribute to Iranian cinema.

A selection of documentary film projects on human rights and/or social or environmental issues were chosen to take part in Movies that Matter’s Take on Film & Impact 2023. The teams behind the projects will attend both group and individual coaching sessions led by experienced impact producers and filmmakers in order to (further) develop their impact goals and strategies for their films.

The programme takes place 27 and 28 March in The Hague and is part of the festival’s Industry Days.

During the Movies that Matter Industry Days (25 – 29 March) we present a line-up of workshops, panel discussions, pitches and masterclasses on film and human rights. The programme will be announced at the end of February. Accreditations open 24 February.

To promote the screenings of human rights cinema worldwide, Movies that Matter offers grants to human rights film events in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, especially in countries with limited resouces and where freedom of press is at stake.

Are you still looking for funding? The first round of our grant programme for 2023 is now open for project proposals. Submit your project before 31 April 2023.

To strengthen the knowledge, network and skills of organisations to arrange human rights film events, Movies that Matter organises a multi-day workshop and networking programme for festival organisers; this programme is called Cinema without Borders. The latest edition was organised in cooperation with DOCUBOX EADFF and impact producer Miriam Ayoo, and took place in Nairobi, Kenya from 28 November – 1 December. Fifteen participants from Burundi, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda were invited to participate.

Want to get to know the participants and hear how they experienced the workshop?  Take a look at the aftermovie via the button below.

The Movies that Matter Festival 2023 is made possible by main partner Nationale Postcode Loterij and (partially subject to change) partners such as Amnesty International, ASN Foundation, Creative Europe Media, Dioraphte, Gemeente Den Haag, Fonds 1818, Fonds 21, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nederlands Filmfonds, Oak Foundation, vfonds, VEVAM and VSBfonds.

The main media partner is Dagblad Trouw.