In a bid to promote Botswana’s human rights culture, Ditshanelo, the human rights organisation, will from March 24 to 31 hold the annual film festival at Maru-a-Pula School. The event will see the screening of documentaries about international human rights issues.
Ditshwanelo’s Paralegal officer, Florah Kedibone, says the event has grown in significance since 2000. “This year we are going to screen more than ten films,” she said.
The festival has attracted the attention of other human rights activists, organizations, academics, government executives, musicians and civil society. Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Edwin Batshu is expected to officially open the event on March 24. Among other guests expected to grace the occasion is University Of Botswana lecture, Dr Ikaneng Malalila, who will lead a discussion on human trafficking.
The discussion will be accompanied by a 70 minutes documentary presenting the stories of young girls whose lives have been shattered by child sex trade. The audience will learn from the movie how it feels to be sold for sex. The girls describe the day they were abducted from the village and sold for sex.
Ditshwanelo’s Communications Officer, Thuto Galeitsiwe, says the rising cases of human trafficking for sex and slavery in Botswana has prompted them to include this documentary among those that will be screened at the festivals.
This year, Ditshwanelo hopes to attract more young people to the event by including hip hop artists, who will take their music culture beyond beats and rhymes by discussing and facilitating some movies about hip hop and human rights.
Local hip hop group, Magosi, will discuss a 56-minute documentary about violence and homophobia in today’s hip hop culture.
The documentary includes interviews with famous rappers such as fat Joe and Juck D.
Kast Foundation will discuss a 69 -minute documentary about hip hop, youth and politics in Dakar, Senegal.
The film examines the role of rappers, DJs, journalists, professors at the time before, during and after the controversial 2007 presidential elections in Senegal. It also explores the role of youth, hip hop, and music on the political process.
A documentary about the most notorious political murders in South Africa, including one where four men were assassinated by an apartheid hit squad, will be among those screened. The director of the documentary, David Forbes, is expected to be present at the festivals.
The documentary was chosen the best South African documentary of International film festivals of 2010, and shortlisted for Amnesty International Human Rights award.
Galeitsiwe says in giving priority to young people this year, Ditshwanelo has ensured free entry for students.
A law student at UB, Lillian Mogotsi, who has been attending the festivals, says she appreciates the initiative.
“This will ensure that the human rights culture is built at a young age to avoid an abusive society,” Mogotsi said.
