During the pandemic, the festival was briefly paused, though we continued to collect submissions in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the festival took a big step forward in joining the ranks of premier international film festivals and officially transitioned to a live event. Hosted at the Grand Pera Cinema in Taksim, our collective finalists from 2020 and 2021 participated in two days of events here in Istanbul. Featuring film screenings, panel discussions with our filmmakers, and Masterclasses with film industry professionals, the event was a great success, and cemented the status of the Humanitarian Film Festival as an international film event not to be missed!

 

In 2020 and 2021, the focus of the festival was expanded to explore any current global humanitarian issue. The winners of our festival in these years were films which represented the lives of those who too often remain unseen and unheard, sharing their stories, and providing a platform to elevate their voices and narratives.

 

 

 

2021 Winners

 

1st Place: Mawbe

2nd Place: Hello Africa

3rd Place: Yellow

 

2020 Winners

 

1st Place: Confrontation

2nd Place: The Helmet

3rd Place: The Other