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Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival

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Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival (abbreviated as Verzió) is a documentary film festival held in Hungary every November since 2004. It is co-organized by the nonprofit Verzió Film Foundation and the Vera & Donald Blinken Open Society Archives at the Central European University.[1] The name of the festival refers to the Hungarian film called “Verzió” directed by Miklós Erdély,[2] which was made in 1981 and retells the story of the Tiszaeszlár affair.

History[edit]

Verzió festival was founded in 2004 by Andrea Pócsik, Oksana Sarkisova and Zsuzsa Zádori in cooperation with the Blinken Open Society Archives.[3] Inspired by the One World, a human rights documentary film festival founded in Prague,[4][5] the founders decided to create a similar space for international documentary films with a focus on human rights in Hungary. The first edition of the festival was opened by Árpád Göncz,[6] under the auspices of the Hungarian director Miklós Jancsó, and the President of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee Ferenc Kőszeg. [7][8]

In 2005, the Verzió Film Foundation was established to ensure financial stability while keeping the independence in the programming. In addition to other various sources, contributions come from international and national grants.

Some of the films presented at the festival are already well known, while others are freshly released or premiered at the festival.[9] For 15 years, Verzió was held exclusively offline, at Budapest cinemas such as Toldi, Művész, or Kino. However, in 2020[10], due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival moved to online spaces, and in 2021 Verzió adopted a hybrid format.[11]

In 2023, Verzió celebrated its 20th anniversary. On this occasion, the festival expanded to Vienna[12], and organized a 3-day program in cooperation with Belvedere 21, Open Society University Network (OSUN), and Central European University. In the same year, the Doc Around Europe network[13] was launched. The partnership connects 5 documentary film festivals, namely FIPADOC, Dokfest München, DocsBarcelona MakeDox and Verzió. Their projects’ focus on promotion of documentary film, but more importantly on support of the young filmmakers.

Film program[edit]

Verzió screens 50 to 70 short and feature-length documentary films annually in a range of topics related to social and human rights issues. In 2017, it screened more than 100 films.[14][15] Topics include children's rights and education, gender equality, LGBTQ+ issues, refugees and migration, climate change and global environmental issues, history and memory, human rights activism, freedom of speech and democracy.[16]

Activities[edit]

Film screenings are followed by Q&As, round table discussions, concerts and several side events such as workshops for young talents, masterclasses and networking events for the representatives of the documentary film industry. Cross-sectoral cooperation with multiple university departments include alternative film poster exhibitions, and film criticism and film analysis courses.

Verzió organizes screenings and discussions throughout the year in cooperation with cultural organizations and partner festivals (e.g. Bánkitó Festival, Sziget Festival, Budapest Pride[17] and OFF-Biennále[18]).

A selection of films is offered free of charge to film clubs and schools. Verzió designs special educational toolkits to help the use of documentary films in high school education.[19] Since 2021 a growing number of films are made available online as well, at the streaming platform of the festival.

Awards[edit]

The festival includes three competition sections:[20]

  • International Competition: a selection of the most powerful documentary films covering urgent human rights issues. The winner of the section is awarded with the Best Human Rights Film Award by an international team of Student Jury.
  • Student and Debut Film Competition: short and feature-length documentaries from young talents. The winner of the section is selected by the members of the International Jury and is awarded with the best Student/Debut Film Award.
  • Hungarian Competition: a competition since 2020, this section awards the Best Hungarian Film selected by the members of an International Jury.

The Audience Award goes to the highest rated documentary film of the festival based on votes by the visitors.

The festival also features non-competition thematic sections, which cover a wide range of topics related to social and human rights issues.

Award winners[edit]

Audience Award

Year Film Director Country
2021 Divas Máté Kőrösi Hungary
2020 Terminal Stage Ilona Gaal, Balázs Wizner Hungary
2019 The Euphoria of Being Réka Szabó Hungary
2019 Colectív Alexander Nanau Romania, Luxembourg
2018 A Woman Captured Bernadett Tuza-Ritter Hungary
2018 The Time of Forests Francois-Xavier Drouet France
2017 The Trial Askold Kurov Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic
2016 Sonita Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami Germany, Switzerland, Iran
2015 No Land’s Song Ayat Najafi France, Germany, Iran
2014 Judgement in Hungary Eszter Hajdú Hungary
2013 In the Shadow of the Sun Harry Freeland UK
2012 5 Broken Cameras Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi Netherlands, France, Israel, Palestine
2011 Wonderful Gladiators Zsófi Kabarcz Hungary
2011 Autumn Gold Jan Tenhaven Austria, Germany
2010 Secret Years Mária Takács Hungary
2010 Presumed Guilty Roberto Hernandez, Geoffrey Smith Mexico
2009 Burma VJ-Reporting from a Closed Country Anders Østergaard Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England
2008 The Fidesz Jew, the Mother with No Sense of Nation and Mediation Eszter Hajdú Hungary
2008 Anna, 7 Years on the Frontline Masha Novikova Netherlands
2007 What Lies Ahead Diana Groó Hungary
2007 Bridge over the Wadi Barak Heymann, Tomer Heymann Israel
2006 Moszny Róbert Lakatos Hungary
2006 The Shutka Book Of Records Aleksandar Manić Serbia, Czech Republic, Finland
2005 Death in Gaza James Miller UK

Best Human Rights Film

Year Film Director Country
2021 Arica[21] Lars Edman, William Johansson Kalén Sweden, Chile
2020 Welcome to Chechnya David France USA
2019 Advocate Philippe Bellaiche, Rachel Leah Jones Israel, Canada, Switzerland
2018 Srbenka Nebojša Slijepčević Croatia
2017 Jackson Maisie Crow USA
2016 Transit Havana Daniel Abma Germany, the Netherlands, Cuba
2015 Toto and His Sisters Alexander Nanau Romania
2014 Cain’s Children Marcell Gerő Hungary, France
2013 In the Shadow of the Sun Harry Freeland UK
2012 5 Broken Cameras Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi Netherlands, France, Israel, Palestine

Best Human Rights Film - Special Mention

Year Film Director Country
2021 Brotherhood[21] Francesco Montagner Czech Republic, Italy
2020 The Earth Is Blue as an Orange Iryna Tsylik Ukraine, Lithuania
2019 Crime + Punishment Stephen Maing USA
2018 No Obvious Signs Alina Gorlova Ukraine
2017 Mr Gay Syria Ayse Topra France, Germany, Turkey
2017 The Wait Emil Langballe Denmark
2014 Evaporating Borders Iva Radivojevic USA, Cyprus
2014 Valley of Sighs Mihai Andrei Leaha, Andrei Crişan, Iulia Hossu Romania

Best Student/Debut Film

Year Film Director Country
2021 Don't Hesitate to Come for a Visit, Mom[21][22] Anna Artemyeva Russia
2020 Sonny Paweł Chorzępa Poland
2019 Downstream Máté Bartha Hungary
2018 The Island Adam Weingrod Israel
2017 Urban Cowboys Pawel Ziemilski Poland
2016 Right Side of Cello Aleksandra Rek Poland
2015 Coming Face to Face Sára Haragonics Hungary

Best Student/Debut Film - Special Mention

Year Film Director Country
2020 Stunned, I Remain Alert Lucas H. Rossi dos Santos, Henrique Amud Brazil
2019 Zoryana Horobraya Elita Klavina Latvia
2018 Their Voices Eri Mizutani Poland
2018 Film for Carlos Renato Borrayo Serrano Russia, Guatemala
2015 Kiev/Moscow. Part 2 Elena Khoreva Russia, Ukraine, Estonia

Best Hungarian Film

Year Film Director Country
2021 Colors of Tobi[21] Alexa Bakony Hungary
2020 Give Me Shelter Mihály Schwechtje Hungary

The Teen Jury’s Award

Year Film Director Country
2019 Matangi / Maya / M. I. A. Steve Loveridge Sri Lanka, UK, USA
2018 Granny Project Bálint Révész UK, Hungary

Duna Television Award

Year Film Director Country
2010 Last Train Home Lixin Fan Canada, China
2006 The Children Of Leningradsky Hanna Polak, Andrzej Celiński Poland

References[edit]

  1. "Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival". DOKweb. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  2. "Filmkultúra: Szemle: Tobzódás a jogfosztottságban". filmkultura.hu. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  3. "Filmkultúra: Arcok: Az emlékezet újjáteremtésének helye". www.filmkultura.hu. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  4. ""Nem elég fegyverbe szólítani, előbb gondolkodni kell" – Interjú a Verzió Filmfesztivál igazgatójával". Recorder. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  5. ""Icipicit igazítottak a világon"* | Beszélő". beszelo.c3.hu (in magyar). Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  6. "The Opening Night of the 17th Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival | OSA Archivum". www.osaarchivum.org. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  7. "Verzió (Emberi jogi dokumentumfilm-fesztivál - december 2-5. Toldi mozi)". Magyarnarancs.hu (in magyar). 2004-12-02. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  8. "version - human rights documentary film festival". www.verzio.org. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  9. Orosz, Anna (8 November 2016). "Documentary as a tool of change / VERZIO - International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival". Cafébabel. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  10. "17th Verzió - Final Report". www.verzio.org. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  11. Cunningham, Nick (2021-11-17). "18th Verzió Film Festival, and the winners are…". Business Doc Europe. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  12. "Verzió Vienna screenings and events". verzio.org. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  13. "Doc Around Europe – European Documentary Film Festival Network". Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  14. "Több, mint száz dokumentumfilm az idei Verzión". Nemzeti Filmintézet – Filmarchívum. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
  15. "Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival | Human Rights Film Network". www.humanrightsfilmnetwork.org. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  16. "Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival". DOKweb.
  17. "Kapd el a ritmust! a sportvilág queer felforgatása a Budapest Pride-on | Budapest Pride". budapestpride.hu (in magyar). Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  18. "OFF-Biennale ›". OFF-Biennale. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  19. "Verzió in High Schools and Film Clubs". www.verzio.org. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  20. "Submission". www.verzio.org. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 "FNE at Verzió Film Festival 2021: Arica Take Top Prize at Hungarian Doc Fest - FilmNewEurope.com". www.filmneweurope.com. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  22. "DocNomads films awarded in Verzio, Winterthur and Uppsala". www.docnomads.eu. Retrieved 2021-12-23.

External links[edit]


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