Every year, the Right to Know category gives space to stories that would otherwise remain untold. The jury, made up of three prominent human rights figures, recognizes films that make a significant contribution to the protection of human rights.  

The Václav Havel Jury Award for Best Film was awarded to The Brink of Dreams. This documentary, directed by duo Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir, tells the story of a community of Egyptian girls who challenge societal stereotypes through theatrical performance.

"In a moment when human rights are being challenged all over the world and marginalized groups are being deprived of their basic rights even in the oldest democracies, the awarded movie shows that an individual or a small group of people can make a change. No matter if they come from a small place, it still has a global urgence. There is always a way to draw the attention to urgent issues utilizing art and culture in the fight for basic human rights. Art would always give you an opportunity to dream even in the hardest conditions and inspire younger generations.  

In the world of patriarchal authoritarians, courage is very important to empower women who live on the brinks of oppression. As Vaclav Havel said „Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something make sense regardless of how it turns out."" said the jury about the award-winning film The Brink of Dreams.  

The award was received by Nadiia Ivanova, director of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy at People in Need, from the hands of the Government Commissioner for Human Rights, Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková.

Václav Havel Jury: artivist Lester Álvarez, editor-in-chief and head of the Investigative Center of Jan Kuciak Lukáš Diko, Egyptian human rights defender Samar Elhussieny 

 

Photo: © Lukáš Bíba