Vandita Sarjya, an Indian filmmaker, was awarded the special prize in the Climate Change and Health Film category at the 4th Annual Health for All Film Festival held in Geneva. Sarjya’s documentary titled “When climate change turns violent” explores the connection between gender-based violence and climate change. The powerful 4-minute 32-second film highlights the devastating impact of climate change on vulnerable communities, particularly women, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
The Health for All Film Festival (HAFF) was initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 to utilize audio-visual language as a key tool in their “communicating for health impact” approach. Well-crafted short films have the potential to improve the health outcomes of specific groups by promoting behavior change and providing knowledge, motivation, and skills necessary for individuals to take action.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, expressed the significance of the Health for All Film Festival in humanizing the organization’s scientific work. By listening to the voices of those affected by health issues, awareness is raised and understanding of people’s experiences is improved, ultimately contributing to the goal of health for all.
This year, the festival received over 780 submissions, and 93 films were shortlisted, covering a wide range of topics including anxiety, depression, climate change’s impact on health, and the health challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. The films were evaluated by a distinguished panel consisting of professionals, artists, and activists, including renowned actors Sharon Stone and Alfonso Herrera, dance choreographer Sherrie Silver, climate activist Sophia Kianni, and media personality Adelle Onyango. In addition, senior United Nations officials and WHO staff from around the world participated in the preselection process, while experts and professionals in filmmaking further reviewed the shortlisted films.
