The original idea of the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival is to connect film and human rights. Its core mission is to promote human rights awareness in Myanmar by using the power of film, the persuasive strength of audiovisual communication (the “seeing is believing” factor) and to create a space for encouraging human rights discussions among the general public in Myanmar. Th
e film festival is dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi who played an integral role in promoting issues of human rights in Burma/Myanmar. In her honor, the film festival awards ceremony is scheduled on her birthday, 19 June. Honoring Aung San Suu Kyi, Min Ko Naing and late Hanthawady U Win Tin who stand for liberty, justice, democracy and human rights in Myanmar, three awards will be granted as Aung San Suu Kyi Award, Min Ko Naing Award and Hanthawady U Win Tin Award. Honoring the university students who fell during the 1988 uprising for demanding fundamental human rights, an award will be granted as March13 Award. March13 is the date, which is widely recognized as Human Rights Day in Burma/Myanmar. Honoring late Vaclav Havel, the former Czech president who refused the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize nomination and proposed Aung San Suu Kyi instead, an award will be granted as Vaclav Havel Library Award. Honoring late Canadian filmmaker Peter Wintonick, considered the "international ambassador of documentary film”, an award will be granted as Peter Wintonick Award.
