The 4th International Human Rights Film Festival ended last night with the awards ceremony. Thest1st 1st Prize in the Creative Documentary section was awarded to Peter Raymont’s film Shake Hands with the Devil (Canada 2004), which follows the footsteps of general Roméo Dallaire, head of the UN peace mission during the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
His vain attempts to alert the international community went unheard. In 2003, he released his memoirs in a book of the same title. This is the story in film. Shake Hands with the Devil has been shown in 45 countries (including Belgium) but has yet to be released in France. It was shown in its full-length version during the Festival.
1st Prize in the Investigative reports category goes to The Ambassador (Norway, 2005) by Erling Borgen, which gives us a look at American former ambassador to Honduras John Negroponte and thus, through him, at US foreign policy in Central America in the past 30 years.

The Festival and its partners are delighted at the increased public success of the event and look forward to reuniting with all those concerned by the struggle to promote and defend Human Rights next year.

Complete Prize list :

Creative documentary category : Pannel headed by Claude Ribbe

1st Prize : Shake Hands with the Devil by Peter Raymont
The testimony of General Roméo Dallaire, head of the UN peace mission during the Rwandan genocide.
(unreleased in France)

Special jury prize : Neighbours by Rouven Rech
In the suburbs of Buenos Aires, a towering fence separates the rich residential zone of Nordelta from the poor Las Tuna neighbourhood.


Investigative reports category : Pannel headed by Yves Billon

1st Prize : The Ambassador by Erling Borgen
The controversial story of John Negroponte, former US ambassador to Iraq and head of American secret services in Latin America in the eighties. (Unreleased in France)

Special jury prize : Borry Bana by Luc Damiba and Abdoulaye Dialo
A tribute to Norbert Zongo, a man who dedicated his life to unearthing the truth and whose assassination plunged Burkina Faso into a serious crisis.
(Unreleased in France)

Short film category : Pannel headed by Patrick Jean

1st Prize : L’ami y’a bon by Rachid Bouchareb
The tale of Aby, who left Senegal for France in 1940 in order to come to the aid of his « mother country ».

Special jury prize : Pay attention by Thierry Sebban
A man, a suburban train at night. Anything can happen, even the unthinkable…


Students pannel prize :
Lamine the escape by Samia Chala
The tale of a man whose sole aim is to leave Algeria to head for the West.
(Unreleased in France)

Terre des Hommes prize for the promotion of cultural, economic and social rights:
The sons of the Silver Mountian by Juan S. Betancor
A portrayal of Cerro Rico miners from Potosi who, for 450 years, worship El Tio, the Spirit of the Mountain, and sacrifice their lungs in the dark labyrinth of the mine.

Radio Report Prize* : Pannel headed by Silvain Gire
School, the last refuge by Marie Eloy
How children living under tents or in dirty squats find a last refuge at school.

*These reports will soon be online on the radio report website (http://prixradio.over-blog.com) as well as on the Festival website (http://www.fidh.org).

The rewarded films will be shown in several cinemas across Ile de France from April until June 2006. For a full list of cinemas, please consult our website, www.festival-droitsdelhomme.org