Last week, the last regional festivals of the 22nd One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival were to take place. Today it was to be celebrated and balanced. Unfortunately, the coronavirus period, in which the year 2020 changed, did not even allow the festival to take place according to plan. Due to the protection of health but also the desire not to deprive the audience of film experiences, the festival spread from March to October after the first interruption, and yet it had to be forced to end for the second time. Given the overwhelming amount of energy that regional teams in particular spent on this non-standard situation, the festival's organizing team decided to hold the 23rd year in a new deadline and changed format. The One World 2021 Festival will take place from May 10 to 28.Last week, the last regional festivals of the 22nd One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival were to take place. Today it was to be celebrated and balanced. Unfortunately, the coronavirus period, in which the year 2020 changed, did not even allow the festival to take place according to plan. Due to the protection of health but also the desire not to deprive the audience of film experiences, the festival spread from March to October after the first interruption, and yet it had to be forced to end for the second time. Given the overwhelming amount of energy that regional teams in particular spent on this non-standard situation, the festival's organizing team decided to hold the 23rd year in a new deadline and changed format. The One World 2021 Festival will take place from May 10 to 28.
"After the interruption in March, we decided to continue after the holidays mainly due to regional festivals, which could not take place at all. We were extremely happy that the vast majority of regional teams decided not to deprive viewers in their cities of strong documentaries and to devote twice as much time and effort to this year. We are all the more sorry that some cities could not hold the festival for the second time on the deadline. In any case, I take off my hat in front of all the regional teams and thank them very much for their work and commitment, which showed fate in spite of them, ”says festival director Ondřej Kamenický.
Some cities, whose replacement dates were scheduled for the second half of October, in view of the unfavorable development of the situation and the deteriorating conditions for organizing cultural events, decided not to continue preparations in September or early October. Other festivals have started, but under very limited conditions. The measures taken by the second state of emergency then put a definitive stop to the festivals in Znojmo, Tábor and Liberec.
"Under normal circumstances, we would be fully preparing for the next year these days. Unfortunately, the normal circumstances of culture, like the rest of society, probably do not wait a while. It is necessary not to succumb to skepticism and try to adapt to the new situation. But for that it is necessary to stop for a moment, take a breath, gain new strength and reflect on the possibilities. That's why we decided to postpone the deadline. We all want to think together about how the festival must adapt and what good we can find for the audience, for all those who participate in the organization of the festival and for the future of the festival as such, "summarizes the executive director of the festival Lenka Lovicarová reasons for moving the date of the festival is May 2021.
We will keep you informed about the specific changes that the traditional form of the festival will go through.
