The mission of the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival (NDHRFF) is to educate, engage, and facilitate discussion around local and world-wide human rights topics through the work of filmmakers and artists.

The film festival encourages filmmakers from around the world who have produced documentary, narrative or experimental films that engage human rights related topics or themes to submit their work to the festival.

While the festival rules out films that contain unacceptable inaccuracies of fact, films are not barred on the basis of a particular point of view. Films from both new and established filmmakers will be presented. International filmmakers are welcome to submit their work. Films for the festival will be selected via Jury, with equal concentration on human rights content and artistic merit.

In 2023, selected films and filmmakers will have the opportunity to have their films screened throughout North Dakota: at the historic Fargo Theatre in downtown Fargo, North Dakota, at the historic Empire Arts Center in Grand Forks, at the historic Oak Parks Theater in Minot, at the Jamestown Arts Center in Jamestown, and the Heritage Center in Bismarck.

If you have any questions about the festival or work submission, please email NDHRFF@human-family.org

Each category within the festival will host a juried competition for "Best of...". Additionally, an executive committee will award a "Best of Show" award annually to recognize a work with high artistic and informational value. Additional awards may be given within each category at the judgment of the jury (i.e. best cinematographer, editing, sound, etc.).

Award winning filmmakers will receive a physical award and small stipend to help with travel to the festival.

Filmmakers who have their films selected for the festival will receive an admissions package to the festival.

NDHRFF Rules:

A full list of the Terms & Conditions are available at:
https://www.human-family.org/terms-and-conditions/

Highlights include:

- Entry fees are non-refundable.

- Filmmakers and artist must be authorized to submit their films to the NDHRFF, and have appropriate permissions and clearances for their films or art pieces.

- Once selected as a part of the official festival, a film may not pull out of the festival or withdraw its submission.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • What a thrill it was to have "You are Me & I am You" screen in the 2021 film festival. I only wish I could have attended in person.

    March 2022
  • Chris Oledude


    From Christopher R. Owens, President, CESO Enterprises, Inc. crowens@cesony.com:

    On behalf of CESO ENTERPRISES, INC., Alyssa Dann, Chris Oledude, and all of our production participants, I would like to compliment the organizers and operators of North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival. When we created our first music video (which was long enough to be a short film), we knew nothing about film festivals. With the help of FilmFreeway, we started researching. The categories were good. Everyone who contacted us on behalf of this festival was helpful. The submissions looked excellent.

    It was indeed exciting to discover this new world and to be so warmly welcomed by the inhabitants! To have GEORGE FLOYD: SAY THEIR NAMES selected for inclusion was an honor in and of itself.

    We were happy to “get the word out” and continue motivating people worldwide to consider the injustices embedded within our nation’s criminal justice system. After all, situations where a powerful segment of the population uses its law enforcement apparatus to abuse and oppress other segments of the population are recognizable in and common too many societies.
    We recommend submitting your work and we certainly intend to participate again in the future.

    Peace and stay safe!

    January 2022
  • Oya Gökşin Babaoğlu

    Thank you for officially selecting our film in this festival!

    January 2022
  • Alfredo M. Gómez Vicente

    Excellent film festival. Professionalism, friendliness, excellent organization, and focused on what matters: human rights.
    Very happy that my film was selected in the North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival.
    Thank you.

    December 2021
  • One of our favorite film festivals! Sean Coffman and the NDHRFF team walk the walk = they treat the artists with incredible respect, are very communicative and are breaking new ground on getting the film festival to the people by taking the films around the state.

    November 2021