John Gianvito slams US double standards on human rights

Acclaimed American filmmaker and university professor John Gianvito has slammed the US double-standards on human rights.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Public Relations and Information Center of the 16th Resistance International Film Festival (RIFF), Gianvito emphasized that he would support the festival's spotlighting of topics such as his own country's double standards on human rights.

Gianvito said he believes that as one of the most powerful forms of art and communication, global cinema also plays a role in propagating variant forms of ideology, as many that are harmful to the human soul.

Gianvito, who served as the jury of the international documentary competition section of the 15th edition of the RIFF, also recalled his experience of attending the event, saying “When I was first approached with an invitation to participate in the festival, I was immediately intrigued to learn that there existed such a festival dedicated to the vision of "a world without terrorism, racism, war, and occupancy" -- that there was a festival in Tehran that was championing films about the "Black Lives Matter" movement, films critical of Isis, of Zionism, films supportive of women and of the representation of Muslim women in particular.”

Calling Iran the world's oldest civilizations and richest culture, Gianvito wished that more of the international film community could be aware of such events as the Resistance International Film Festival as he believes, “These festivals have the potential to plant the seeds of solidarity that can spread and grow.”

“I was very moved by the consistent integration of politics and culture through every aspect of my experience of the festival. This was most especially heightened during the final gala awards ceremony wherein each of the juries stood alongside family members of Iranian martyrs, seeking to ensure that none of us lose sight of the reality of the consequences of war,” Gianvito remembered as one of his good memories attending the RIFF.

The annual Resistance festival is an attempt to commemorate the anniversary of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, which is known as the “Sacred Defense” in Iran.

The festival will run in two different stages. The first one took place during the Sacred Defense Week from September 21 to 28 while the second stage will be held on November 21 to 27 to celebrate the anniversary of Basij Day, which falls on November 25.

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