Sometimes a film can be the strongest form of activism.

Founded in 2003 by SU professors Roger Hallas and Tula Goenka, the Syracuse University Human Rights Film Festival is comprised of carefully selected independent films that have gained attention at notable film festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival, South by Southwest and the Sundance Film Festival.

This year the festival features five critically acclaimed films over the course of three days, beginning Thursday. The films are chosen for their powerful storytelling, ability to generate an important conversation and their relevance in the Syracuse community, as well as in the global perspective.

“Human rights are a universal concern,” co-director Goenka said. “There is so much in the press right now about what is happening in the United States, such as Ferguson, Ray Rice or even on campus, with our own soccer player Hanna Strong. All of these things are all connected and they happen all across the world.”

Although the film festival’s purpose of creating social justice issue awareness remains the same, the focus shifts with each passing year in correspondence with current human rights issues. This year’s carefully selected independent documentary and narrative films address the emergence of black identity, sex trafficking, queer youth homelessness, revolution, propaganda and genocide.

This year the event is buzzing with filmmaker presence, as question-and-answer sessions either in person or via Skype will be held with most of the directors throughout the festival’s duration.

Thomas Allen Harris, the director of the opening night film, “Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People,” described his film as “the intersection of human rights and art history.” The documentary takes a closer look into how black photographers used photography to establish their own identity in response to the demonization and stereotypes created by mainstream media.

Upon viewing his work, Harris hopes his film will help people to think about how to use photographs as tools for social change. In this way, Harris said people will realize “we are all connected. We are all an extended family.”

Goenka, a television, radio and film professor, urges members of the Syracuse community to attend the event and connect with audience members and the directors over these conventionally taboo topics.

Hallas, an associate professor of English and textual studies and co-director of the festival, also encouraged students to attend the event, stressing that only reading news articles and maintaining exposure to mainstream media is not enough to fully understand social justice issues.

He added that watching these films gives students the opportunity to become aware of global issues and put those issues into perspective.

Said Hallas: “Watching these films are opportunities to become more aware of what’s going on in the world, but also to be able to understand and respect difference, and to be able to understand different perspectives — often on issues that we may feel we understand.”

Published on September 18, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact Alexa: adiaz02@syr.edu | @alexalucina