Lights, Camera, Activism: Movies that Matter Festival 2025 in The Hague
The Movies that Matter Festival, set to take place from March 21 to 29, 2025, will open on Friday, March 21, with 'The Promise' by Daan Veldhuizen.
The Movies that Matter Festival, set to take place from March 21 to 29, 2025, in The Hague, Netherlands, has announced its opening film. The 17th edition of the festival will open on Friday, March 21, with The Promise by Daan Veldhuizen. The film uses personal stories and historical research to reveal how the oppression of the Papuan people remains deeply connected to a largely erased chapter of Dutch history, and how colonialism continues to shape the present.
The festival will present a total of nine awards across various competitions. The Activist Lens Competition showcases documentaries about the work and lives of human rights defenders. The Justice Frame competition focuses on the importance of the rule of law and the fight against impunity. The third competition programme, Dutch Focus, highlights Dutch feature films and documentaries that broaden perspectives on human rights.
The winners will be selected by international juries, with the Grand Jury Documentary and Grand Jury Fiction awards recognizing the best documentary and fiction films, each accompanied by a €5,000 cash prize. The festival has also introduced the Shorts Award for the best short film in recent years. In collaboration with The Hague-based film club Film070, an award is presented for the best film suitable for young adults. Additionally, all festival visitors can vote for the films they attend, with the highest-rated film winning the Audience Award, made possible by ASN Bank. The Education Award, given to the film with the greatest educational value, is chosen by a jury of high school and vocational students.
During the festival, over 90 films on human rights will be screened, exploring themes such as human rights, freedom, and activism. The full film programme will be available online starting Wednesday, March 5. Details are available here.