Kotka Human Rights Film Festival (KHRFF) (Earlier: Kotka international film festival 2020-2022) returns to the heart of Kotka as a hybrid festival. For four days, the festival presents stories from around the world. Stories that deal vividly with human activities and fundamental social and political issues such as democracy, justice, freedom, and environmental protection.

Kotka Human Rights Film Festival is an annual film festival hosted in Kotka, Finland. The festival's competition focused on films with high artistic quality from all around the world. Film Festival serves as a cinematic cultural template for emerging, talented filmmakers who wish to express their uniqueness through the lens of past excellence while exposing themselves to the latest innovative concepts in the arts.

KHRFF creates an excellent screening environment allowing participants to feature their films in the high-quality venues available to the audience in Kotka and other cities in Finland. Professionals and industry makers will be invited to evaluate the best work to be awarded at the beginning of the Festival.

Will will be in Kotka!

The program intends to reflect the current state of cinema. The program is a mix of major international art films, documentaries, features, short films, and animations.  

The festival owns the rights to the changes.

Awards & Prizes

Award for Best Feature Film.
Award for Best Short Film.
Award for Best Documentary Film.
Award for Best Animated Film.
Award for
– Best Actor
– Best Actress
– Best Director
The festival owns the rights to the changes.

Rules & Terms

KHRFF FEATURE FILMS

By KHRFF standards any film that is 50 minutes and over in length is considered a feature film. All movies must carry English Subtitles. All films which are selected/nominated for the Festival will be informed by email & listed on our websites. Feature Films can bring any subject respecting humanity issues and cultural topics. The KHRFF carries on this tradition and makes way for new developments in feature films by selecting original, unique features to screen at the festival.

KHRFF DOCUMENTARY FILMS

KHRFF Film Festival is dedicated to screening documentary films on a variety of subjects. Human Rights issues, life stories, environmental topics, and a unique, spiritual, and unordinary theme will be on focus this year.

KHRFF SHORT FILMS

Any film that is 1 minute to 49 min 59 sec in length is considered a short film. We are focusing on filmmakers trying to introduce unique and new ideas and movies. The Film Festival will pay particular attention to this category to give this special film category the attention it deserves.

KHRFF ANIMATED FILMS

Over the last two centuries, animation film technology has advanced from flip books to 3D animation and CGI. When selecting animated films for competition, the KHRFF will pay particular attention to topic and quality. The filmmakers are committed to screening the selected films.

The festival can use all the material that is submitted to the festival including the posters and trillers without any permission.

The festival owns screening rights for the selected films on festival dates and sub-events. No screening fees will be paid. The festival owns the rights, not screen all the selected films. The festival holds the right to screen all selected movies in the festival sub-events. The films will be open to the public during the festival days.

IMPORTANT!
Your selected film should be able to download!!!
PLEASE make access the download link as soon as possible for selected films (The film and the promo). All selected movies have to be downloaded. The films that have not made access available for downloading will be withdrawn from the program.
The Festival owns rights to any and all changes.

7 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • nicolas cazalé

    Thank you very much for selecting my film. I am very proud to have been distinguished in your very beautiful festival. It's very important for me to share "A day will come" and I'm glad you like it.
    I wish you all the best,
    Nicolas Cazalé

    June 2022
    Helpful
  • Vladyslav Robskyi

    This is a grate festival.
    Very hostly organizers & nice place.
    Thank you & good luck in the new world where peace will win

    May 2022
    Helpful
  • Damian Matyasik

    It was a joy and honour to participate in Kotka international film festival. Wish you guys all the best and keep up the good work!

    May 2022
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  • Miikka Poutiainen

    Thank you KIFF for the festival and for the short documentary award for the ´Kapinalliset - Rebels with a cause'. We are honoured for getting the award especially since the jury included one of the most respected documentary film maker in Finland. Very friendly atmosphere and nice hospitality by the festival. It is also nice to see Kotka being a culture and art friendly city.

    May 2022
    Helpful
  • Gang Zhao

    A great film festival. Thank you for choosing my movie. Thanks!

    September 2021
    Helpful
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Dear Gang, Thank you so much for your feedback. We are very sorry to all filmmakers as the the situation changes in the last minute and we had to arrange the festival online. We wanted to meet the filmmakers and the audience and create a connection line between the two of them. Congratulations on your beautiful film. Hopefully we can meet up soon and see you.