ANHAR Annual Meeting: A Decade of Human Rights Cinema

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The Arab Network for Human Rights Film Festivals (ANHAR) held its annual meeting on Sunday, December 8, at the Exhibition Hall. The meeting reviewed the achievements of the network over the past year, as well as the challenges that disrupted events like “Karama Palestine,” “Karama Beirut,” and “Karama Yemen.” Karama Jordan played a key role in keeping these festivals alive through alternative platforms, reinforcing the message of cinema as a tool for defending human rights.

10-Year Milestone

The meeting celebrated a decade of ANHAR’s work, evaluating its significant milestones and agreeing on a strategic plan for the future. Members discussed ways to create a sustainable societal impact while expanding the network to include new members.

Highlights and Future Goals

  • Welcoming Syria as a new member, represented by Ahmad Al-Haj from “Wind Cinema.” His contributions included showcasing Syrian films and discussing diaspora cinema, with a proposal to establish a “Karama Syria” festival in Damascus.
  • Strengthening partnerships, including outreach to the Omani Cinema Association in Muscat.
  • Preparing funding applications led by Karama Yemen and “612 Ideas,” under the leadership of network director Ashraf Al-Shuqaa.

ANHAR Awards for Best Human Rights Films 2024

  • Winner: “My Memory is Full of Ghosts” (74 min, Syria, 2024, Anas Zawahri) – Nominated by Sudan Film Factory.
     Watch here
  • Special Mentions:
    • “Gaza: Voices of Life and Death” (44 min, Qatar/Palestine, 2024, Hosam Abu Dan) – Honored by Karama Jordan.
    • Other nominees included: “Life is Beautiful: A Letter to Gaza”, “We Never Left”, and “Souhait.”

The Meeting’s Vision

The members reaffirmed the importance of ANHAR’s role in highlighting urgent human rights issues, particularly in conflict zones such as Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, and Sudan, while fostering regional dialogue on justice and human dignity.