Summer School in Cinema,
Human Rights and Advocacy
25 August – 3 September 2025
20th edition
Jointly developed with
Date & Place
25 August – 3 September 2025
Venice Lido
Cost
€ 1,900 (VAT included)
Scholarship opportunities
Application Deadline
30 April 2025 for scholarship applicants
30 May 2025 for self-funded applicants
Entry Requirements
Experience/interest in human and environmental rights
and visual media
Project proposal
to the Summer School in Cinema, Human Rights and Advocacy
Deadline: 30 May 2025
to the Summer School in Cinema, Human Rights and Advocacy
Deadline: 30 April 2025
The only summer school that combines video advocacy for human rights and social change, in the unparalleled context of the Venice International Film Festival.
Overview
Our Summer School is a unique training initiative designed to deepen your understanding of the intersection between human rights, films, digital media and video advocacy, and how to leverage these tools for social change.
The programme has a cross-cutting focus on environmental rights within the broader framework of human rights protection and promotion, emphasizing its impact on younger generations and local communities.
Set against the backdrop of the Venice International Film Festival, you will attend screenings and engage with film industry professionals and leading experts in the human rights field.
Summer School co-Directors
Experts
Coordination




School Details
By taking this course, you will:
- Gain knowledge, insights and perspectives on the role of visual media in influencing change and raising awareness about human and environmental rights issues
- Develop a toolbox of strategies, best practices, tips and techniques for storytelling, reporting, documenting, and investigating stories to drive social change
- Explore the practical and technical challenges in producing and distributing social impact documentaries
- Deepen critical thinking through reflection, dialogue and film analysis, fostering debate on human rights topics
- Address ethical challenges in using visual media, gain insight on how to deal with people affected by trauma, and develop self-care
In class, participants will engage in an interactive learning experience through:
- Lectures introducing specific topics using diverse media and teaching tools
- Workshops to develop, apply and hone specific skills or techniques
- Working groups
- Optional 1-2-1 tutorials with experts for feedback on personal project proposal
- Discussions of selected human rights films from the Venice International Film Festival to enhance understanding and apply course concepts
- Meetings with filmmakers/producers from festival screenings to discuss film production challenges, content, and creative styles
Outside class, participants will also have the opportunity to:
- Network with inspiring, like-minded people in a diverse cohort that values diversity and inclusivity
- Expand professional connections through facilitator mentoring and interaction with film industry professionals at the Venice International Film Festival
- Immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the Festival
- Be inspired by the rich cultural and social events Venice has to offer
The Summer School is a 10-day programme, whose schedule is constantly subject to change in order to accommodate the Festival screenings and last-minute meetings with directors and members of the filming industry.
Target audience: the School is addressed to students, experts and advocates of human rights, media, NGOs, advocacy and the third (voluntary) sector, as well as anyone interested in using audio-visual media as a tool to promote human rights and social change.
Background: experience/interest in human and environmental rights-related issues; experience of or interest in working with visual media.
Language: fluency in English (both written and spoken) as the school is fully taught in English.
Self-funded applicants (deadline: 30 May 2025): will be evaluated on a rolling basis and candidates eligible for enrolment will be notified by email with an acceptance letter, including instructions for fee payment. Submission of a project proposal focused on environmental rights– preferably with an impact on younger generations and/or local communities– will be considered an advantage.
Scholarship applicants (deadline: 30 April 2025): will be evaluated only after the deadline. Application shall include: i) proof of environmental rights expertise; ii) visual skills; iii) project proposal focused on environmental rights, with an impact on younger generations and/or local communities ; iv) expectations from attending the Summer School.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a 10-minute online interview.
Young applicants: we strongly encourage talented young women and men aged 18 to 25 to apply.
Class size: limited to 30 participants to foster peer networking and maximise opportunities for direct interaction and personalised feedback from the experts.
Visa: for those who require visa to travel to Italy, kindly be advised that visa application is a lengthy and complex process. Please inform yourself about the timing and necessary steps in advance. For more information, visit: https://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home.aspx
€ 1,900 (VAT included) that includes:
- Tuition fee
- Lunches and coffee breaks on class days
- Cinema accreditation badge to access Venice Film Festival screenings (valid for the entire duration of the festival)
- Reading material and access to the School’s online learning platform
- Certificate of attendance upon completion of the programme
All expenses related to transportation, accommodation, subsistence and any additional cost not listed above must be arranged and covered by the participant.
We offer a limited number of scholarship opportunities (subject to external funding approval) in the form of tuition waivers for applicants who meet the entry requirements and selection criteria listed above.
Our Community at a Glance
Our Summer School is a renowned training initiative celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025.
It is jointly developed by the Global Campus of Human Rights and Picture People MSP, a UK educational non-profit organisation that empowers individuals to use visual media and mobile technology to advocate for social and environmental justice. The School is co-directed by Picture People MSP team members Nick Danziger and Claudia Modonesi.
As an alumnus of the School, you will become part of a dynamic network of changemakers, joining an ever-growing community of inspiring, like-minded people. You will have ongoing opportunities to connect for collaborations, professional partnerships and exchanges of ideas.
Satisfaction Rate
Venue
The School takes place in Venice Lido, at the Monastery of San Nicolò, home to the Global Campus Headquarters. This historic 11th century Benedictine monastery offers a unique setting for the programme.
Off-the-beaten-path, Lido is an 11-km long barrier island facing Venice, at a 15-minute distance by waterbus (vaporetto) from St. Mark’s square. Lido offers sandy beaches, green areas, nature protected oasis; it is famous for being the seat of the Venice Film Festival and for its Art Nouveau villas and grand hotels, such as the Grand Hotel des Bains described in Thomas Mann’s novel “Death in Venice”.
Venice International Film Festival takes place across two main venues: Palazzo del Casinò, which hosts many screening rooms, the Biennale Cinema offices, and the press room; and Palazzo del Cinema, home to the largest screening room and the site of daily red carpet events. A stylish and popular location is Hotel Excelsior, where most celebrities are hosted during the Festival. Additional screening venues and cultural spots are listed here.
Application Deadlines
30 May 2025 for self-funded applicants
Contact us
Drop an email to our secretariat or call us:
Email: chra@gchumanrights.org
Telephone: +39 041 2720 930