We are delighted to announce that Laurens Korteweg will start as Business Director at Movies that Matter from 1 September. Together with Artistic Director Margje de Koning, he will head the organisation. Korteweg previously worked as Director Exhibitions at World Press Photo. He succeeds Ali Remmelts, who left the organisation last June, after 15 years.

Are you a filmmaker working on a film about social issues, human rights or sustainability? Or have you already finished your film? The film submission is now open for the Movies that Matter Festival 2024 (22 – 30 March in The Hague and several satellite cities).

You can submit your film – fiction or documentary – until 19 November 2023. All film lengths will be accepted.

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.

We offer a start-up grant for new human rights film events and an impact grant for existing events that want to increase their impact or want to add new activities to their programmes. These events can take various forms, such as human rights film festivals, LGBTI film festivals and mobile cinema projects.

Are you still looking for funding? The second round of our grant programme for 2023 is open for project proposals. Submit your project before 4 September 2023.

In the first 2023 round of our grant programme, we are proud to support ten inspiring projects.

Six festivals receive a start-up grant:⁠ IMPAKT FILM FESTIVAL⁠ (Burundi), Rock International Film Festival⁠ (Nigeria), Kultura Film Festival⁠ (Philippines), Fankeenna Film Fest⁠ (Somaliland), Gatakhor Human Rights Film Festival ⁠(South Sudan) and Sauti Zetu Film Festival ⁠(Tanzania).
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Four festivals receive an impact grant:⁠ Under Our Skin ⁠(Kenya), Triq Cinima & Koura⁠ (Morocco), Sexuality Matters⁠ (Ukraine) and Miradas Diversas⁠ (Venezuela).

Cinema without Borders is back and we are looking for participants! The next edition of our five day workshop and networking programme for human rights film festival organisers will take place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. From 10 – 14 December 2023 we will bring together novice and more experienced film festival professionals from West Africa.⁠

There is no participation fee, and costs for travel and lodging will be covered. If you wish to participate, please send in your application as soon as possible, but no later than Sunday 17 September 2023.