MATTHEW Benetti couldn’t be prouder of his five-year-old. Since 2007 the director of the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, he has seen the music, visual art and film event grow to become one of the most well-regarded and thought-provoking national arts festivals in Australia. This year, spanning eight cities and with at least 25 events on offer, it is facing its biggest run yet.
“It’s mostly because of the energy put into to it by a bunch of passionate people, I think,” Benetti says. “Art and human rights are things that people are very passionate about; their energy has kind of been the backbone of the festival for the past few years.”
Highlights this year include a forum on the power of street art – it will include street artist Boo – an international musical performance at the idyllic Abbotsford Convent, and 19 full-length and short films at ACMI.
Apart from the opening night film, the documentary Under African Skies (pictured above), which follows Paul Simon to South Africa 25 years after he controversially recorded the Graceland album, Benetti says his personal standout is The Island President. The documentary follows the then-president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, on his campaign for global recognition of climate change.
“He really is an extraordinary character. He’s been called the Mandela of the Maldives,” Benetti says. “The real highlight is that we’ve got a live Q&A with the [former] president himself – we had to pinch ourselves about that one!”
The festival is emphasising the Q&A aspect this year with the hope that expert panels will create a concrete way for audiences to connect with what they are seeing. Benetti says that apart from raising awareness, the festival aims to direct people to worthy causes. “Other than stirring and educating people, we also try and ensure that there are tangible outcomes as a result of the festival,” he says. “People don’t want opinions forced on to them. The beauty of art and film is that they’re very accessible mediums.”
The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, from Tuesday May 15 until Sunday May 27. Details: visit hraff.org.au
