Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Back in 1983 the Yugoslav-born filmmaker Stacha Stanojevic made a human rights film under the title ‘Illustres Inconnus’ (Notorious Nobodies as the English language version would be called much later). One of the personalities in this multi-story film is a human rights activist, the inspiration for whom came from Martin Ennals who had then just left his post as Secretary General of Amnesty International and met Stacha several times. Now the filmmaker has drawn from his full-length film a short version focusing on the international human rights defender for whom, unknowingly, Martin Ennals stood as model. The scenes are mostly shot in Geneva and have the feel of this diplomatic city in the early 80s. The end is a bit of a surprise but highlights the essential human element  in the unending quest for human rights. Unfortunately only in French for now, but english-speakers can still get the gist of it. See   http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlt5bv_indignation-revolte-1983_shortfilms?start=0#from=embed

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• Martin Ennals Award ceremony 2011 now on-line: martinennalsawrd.org (thoolen.wordpress.com)

This entry was posted on November 6, 2011 at 19:32 and is filed under Amnesty international, films, human rights, Human Rights Defenders.

Tags: Geneva, Illustres Inconnus, Martin Ennals, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Stanojevic