Sponsored by Right Livelihood, the festival invites audiences into a world where film and the magic of childhood meet. This year, the festival finds its home in Lido – an island woven into the history of global cinema and long synonymous with the world’s oldest film festival in Venice. Hosted within the historic walls of the Monastery of San Nicolò, this edition invites audiences into a setting where the atmosphere of film and human rights naturally converge. In 1979, the Monastery of San Nicolo was transformed into the location for a secret MI6 base in ‘Moonraker’ (James Bond). Today, the Monastery is the headquarters of the Global Campus of Human Rights.
This year’s theme, ‘Un, Due, Tre… Stella!’, draws on one of the most beloved childhood games in Italy – a phrase every Venetian knows instinctively from playgrounds, camps, and school courtyards. In the original game, what began as ‘stai là!’ gradually softened into ‘stella’, a transformation born from the imagination of children themselves.
They chose this title because it reflects what they aim to celebrate: the right to play (Article 31 of the UNCRC) and the creativity, spontaneity, and resilience that define childhood. ‘Un, Due, Tre… Stella!’ is more than a game; it is a reminder of the joyful, inventive ways children make sense of the world. They invite our audience this year to tap into their own childhood spirit, remembering that their right to play never ends.
The game itself mirrors the theme. A moment of stillness. Then a sudden rebellious burst of movement. So many children today are forced into stillness by conflict, hardship, or fear. Through this festival, we invite our audiences to consider how play can inspire courage and help us all heal. By creating a space where children’s perspectives are placed at the centre, the festival becomes a meeting point between generations.
A place where all can rediscover the transformative power of play. Across two days, the Monastery will transform into a living playground, and a space where films, discussions, art, workshops, music, and performance re-imagine what it means to defend the right to play. For the first time, we introduced an Open Call for Short Films to include a wider range of local filmmakers and artists to actively shape and take part in the Human Rights Film Festival.
Students begin on Friday afternoon with a welcome and a screening dedicated to children. For the opening movie, they chose ‘Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom’ from 2019. The story follows a young teacher reluctantly sent to a remote village. Here, he gradually rediscovers joy, imagination and purpose thanks to his students.
Throughout the afternoon, the Festival becomes a space for learning and exchange. Andrea Brunelli will share his insights on sports, childhood, and the right to play in diverse and challenging contexts. Ending on an energetic note, the first day of our festival will conclude with a concert by the Disco Zenith Band.
The second day continues the fun with face-painting – truccabimbi – and an exhibition of artwork created by children themselves. Our monastery yet again becomes a fountain of knowledge, as we continue with a Presentation and Q&A session with Sofia Ciuffoletti, an expert at the Juvenile Court of Florence, and an interactive outside workshop with David Hornbeck, on learning how to play again as adults.
To conclude the interactive classroom, we have a presentation by Dynamo, whose work highlights the power of playfulness and recreational therapy. The evening then continues with short films, as well as the closing film – Homework – an Iranian narrative documentary film exposing the problems in school systems through the eyes of children.
This closing film asks our audience to leave our festival with the voices of children in mind.
As night settles on the Monastery, music, performance, and collective joy enter the stage. The House of Serenissima will fill the halls with a drag performance that embodies what play can mean in adulthood: freedom, self-expression, and community. Our very own university band and comedians then conclude our festival with a concert of specially selected songs to get the audience moving and singing along.
The festival is free entry and open to all! Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and check out our website to keep up to date with announcements on films to come!
‘Un, Due, Tre… Stella!‘ Let the game, fun and the conversation begin.
For more information, please visit our website: EMA Human Rights Film Festival
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Email: 25emafilmfestival@gmail.com