Past Festivals

In 2015 The Birmingham Centre for Film Studies (B-Film at University of Birmingham) held the ‘Screening Vulnerability’ symposium that kicked off the first ever Screening Rights Film Festival, a three-day programme of social justice film, and discussion, at Mac Birmingham.

Michele Aaron chairs a discussion of the film OPEN BETHLEHEM with Deborah Burton from the Tipping Point Film Fund, the film’s director Leila Sansour and Salma Yaqoob, former leader of the Respect Party.

The need for heartfelt films about the depths of human adversity around the world has grown enormously in recent decades. It was the ambition to inspire and develop debates on the potential of film to effect personal, social and political change that started the festival and it is still guiding it after six years. Since 2015, the festival took place in various venues in Birmingham and Coventry, bringing highly acclaimed social justice films with post screening discussions involving directors, producers, writers, activists and experts, to the local audiences.

Our past festivals’ programmes are available to view here: