Nearly 800 filmmakers from 106 countries have submitted short films for the 4he edition of the WHO Health for All Film Festival, on topics ranging from the trauma of war to living with COVID-19. Some 90 films were chosen for the shortlist, to be reviewed by a jury of international artists and leading artists in development, before the winners are announced in June 2023.
“The Health for All Film Festival brings together powerful stories on many health issues from around the world, bringing emotion and a human face to WHO’s scientific work,” says WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Cinema has great potential to raise awareness of lesser-known health issues and improve understanding of people’s experiences with health; these are important ways to move towards Health for All.”
The following distinguished professionals, artists and activists, along with high-level experts from the WHO, make up this year’s festival jury: Sharon Stone (actor from the USA); alfonso herrera (actor from Mexico); Ricky Kej (musician from India); melissa fleming (United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications); Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng (United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health of South Africa); sherry silver (Rwandan dance choreographer), sofia kiani (Iranian-American climate activist); and adela onyango (Kenyan media personality and podcaster).
The 90 shortlisted films are available on WHO YouTube channel in six playlists, one for each of the contest categories: Universal Health Coverage, Health Emergencies, Better Health and Well-being, Climate Change and Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and Very Short Films.
This year’s selection covers a wide range of topics: trauma of war; diseases, including COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, mental health problems; disability; as well as environmental and social factors of health, including gender violence. The public is encouraged to view and comment on their favorite shortlisted films and champion them on social media using the hashtag #Film4Health.
In the coming weeks, the juries will review the shortlisted films and recommend winners to the WHO Director-General, who will make the final decision. Three “BIG PRIZE” and four special awards will be announced in June at the Online Awards Ceremony, followed by a series of discussions with the winners and the jury.
Since the festival opened in 2020, nearly 4,300 films by patients, healthcare workers, activists, students, and professional filmmakers have been submitted.
For more details on the official selection, the composition of the jury and more information, visit https://www.who.int/film-festival