New Delhi, April 10 – The NHRC on Friday began inviting entries for its 12th annual short film competition, aimed at encouraging creative cinematic efforts that promote and protect human rights, an official said.
The deadline for submitting entries is June 30, he said in a statement.
The results of the competition will be announced through a press release, a post on the X handle, and uploaded to the Commission's website, the statement said. Last year, the first prize winner received Rs 2 lakh.
The short films can be in English or any Indian language, with English subtitles. The short film should be a minimum of 3 minutes and a maximum of 10 minutes.
"The themes of the short films should broadly focus on various socio-economic, cultural, and political rights. The film can be a documentary, a dramatization of real stories, or a work of fiction, in any technical format, including animation, within the ambit of the right to life, liberty, equality, and dignity," said the Commission.
The short films may cover issues specific to bonded and child labor, women and children's rights, the rights and challenges faced by elderly persons, the rights of persons with disabilities, manual scavenging, the right to healthcare, issues related to fundamental freedoms, human trafficking, domestic violence, human rights violations due to police brutality or custodial violence and torture.
The themes may also include socio-economic disparities, the rights of Nomadic and Denotified Tribes, prison reforms, the right to education, the right to a clean environment, including environmental hazards impacting life on planet Earth, the right to work, the right to equality before the law, the right to food and nutritional security, the rights of LGBTQI, human rights violations due to displacement caused by either man-made or natural calamities, celebrating human rights and values in Indian diversity and development initiatives aimed at improving life and living standards.
There is no entry fee or limit on the number of entries an individual can send to participate in the contest. However, participants must send each film separately with a duly completed entry form, the statement said.
The Short Film Awards competition was instituted by the Commission in 2015. It aims to encourage and acknowledge the cinematic and creative efforts of Indian citizens, regardless of age, in promoting and protecting human rights.
An NHRC circular said that the Commission will have the right to use the awarded films for any purpose it deems fit, including uploading them on its website/social media. For this, an undertaking will be taken from the applicants.
The NHRC said that participants may continue to retain their rights to their films and may be free to participate in any other competitions/festivals without restricting the Commission from using them.
The applicant whose film is shortlisted for the award will be required to send a coloured poster (A3 size) depicting the title of the film, a brief theme in English, and names of the main crew, only in soft copy, said the NHRC.