Without a doubt, “cinema” is always something more than just entertainment. For years, cinema has been used as a tool to convey messages and concepts that require public education. Unfortunately, civil society activists in Iran do not pay enough attention to the power of art, or have not been successful in utilizing it. However, there are shining examples of committed cinematic works that should not be neglected.

درباره‌ی ایران»

The book “About Iran”

Cinema Human Rights

The recently published reference is a suitable source for familiarizing oneself with such films from Iranian and world cinema that have made a lasting impact in the field of human rights. This collection introduces the top 100 films on human rights and includes films from various genres (cinema, documentary, animation, etc.). This is the first cinematic culture on human rights published in Persian and is available for free to interested individuals.

According to the author of the book, the selection of these 100 films was based on their relevance to recurring issues and current events in Iran. These issues include: violence against women, child rights and child labor, workers’ rights, racism, execution, torture, freedom of belief and expression, ideological and brainwashing education of children, police brutality, environment and animal rights, access to clean and sanitary drinking water, child soldiers, kulbars, non-violent resistance, social movements, access to fair trials, mothers seeking justice, state-sponsored terrorism, rights of people with disabilities, citizenship rights, sexual rights, child marriage and forced marriage. These are among the topics addressed in these films. Additionally, it should be noted that the scope of human rights cinema is not limited to these 100 films and other outstanding works will likely be featured in the second volume of the book.

Each of the 100 films in this collection has a summary of the story, important information, and a brief description of the reasons for selection and the human rights issues addressed in that film.

The book is dedicated to “Mothers of the Earth, from Iran to Chile” and for security reasons, the author’s name is not visible on the cover; instead, the pseudonym “Mahsa Amini” is used in the book’s identification in memory of all the victims and freedom fighters in Iran. The publication of such works is effective in promoting human rights culture and raising public awareness of the main slogans and demands of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. As the author mentions in the introduction of the book: “There are many people in the world who do not want us to know under what censorship, oppression, and exploitation we live. They are in love with people’s ignorance of their basic rights. In contrast, one of the most effective ways to raise awareness and educate human rights is through art, especially the magic of cinema.”

Shirin Ebadi also writes in the introduction of the book: “The commitment of art is to express the truth and in this regard, it cannot turn a blind eye to the shortcomings and problems of society and censor them. The purpose of expressing truths and problems is to create motivation for thinking and finding solutions. It is from this perspective that human rights enter the realm of art, especially cinema.”

The winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, at the end, expressed hope that “watching any human rights film would be a spark for reflection and presenting solutions.”

شاهنامه»

The book “Shahnameh”

“Cinema of Human Rights”

You can download it for free from the website of “Shirin Ebadi Foundation”, which is the publisher of this work.

Book Name:

Cinema Human Rights

Subtitle: Top 100 Films of World Cinema with the Theme of Human Rights

Author: Mahsa Amini (pen name)

Publisher: Shirin Ebadi Foundation (Electronic Publishing)

Publication year: 1401