Health for All Film Festival Annual Event

The winners of the second edition of our short film festival will be announced during various award ceremonies showcasing each category. These events are a great opportunity to listen to discussions between the filmmakers, the festival’s jurors and WHO experts.

Many health topics will be covered, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and environmental health with a special emphasis on the themes of health and care workers, health equity needs and health promotion.

In addition to the festival’s award-winning films, several short-films and recent WHO productions will be screened between the ceremonies.

The events will be streamed on the Health for All Film Festival’s homepage in English, French and Spanish (please choose your viewing language). You can also follow this event in English on the WHO Youtube channel where you will have the possibility to post your comments in English, French or Spanish, in particular to participate in the game offered during the event and the following weeks.

14 May 2021 - Agenda

11 am CEST / Opening of the festival event and announcement of the winners

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General, will announce the festival’s winners for each category. Present in the room will be WHO’s jury members: Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme; Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Environmental Health Department; Bente Mikkelsen, Director of the Noncommunicable Diseases Department; and Devora Kestel, Director of the Mental Health and Substance Use Department.

After the announcement, the audience will be invited to participate in a game. Tune in to find out!

The session will close with the screening of some of the festival’s selected films.

12 pm CEST / 1^st Awards Ceremony / Better Health and Well-being category, the student film prize and special prize for "Health Education for the Youth"

Online screening of the Grand Prix winning film in the category of “Better Health and Well-being” and the special prize winning film for “Health Educational Film for the Youth”.

Following the screenings will be a discussion between the winners and the jurors for this category with Actor, writer and producer Eugenio Derbez (Mexico) represented by his executive producer Javier Williams; documentary film writer and director Sonia Lowman (USA); and WHO’s Director for Environmental Health, Dr Maria Neira.

Moderator: Gilles Reboux, Health for All Film Festival leader.

1 pm CEST / Student Film Prize and panel discussion about film and arts as a way to promote health for youth

After the screening of the winning film of the “Student Film Prize”, WHO’s Regional Office for Europe will host a discussion between the prize winner and Dr Mina Stanikic, a medical doctor and film critic from the Dutch Global Health Film Festival. Also joining the panel is Femke van Wanrooij, a youth delegate representing The Netherlands at the 2021 World Health Assembly, and David Barrett, WHO Europe’s lead video producer who will moderate the discussion.

The panel will also discuss the role of the arts as a means of healing with the example of WHO's film "Arts and health stories: Silje”.

2 pm to 4 pm CEST / Intermission

During this two-hour intermission, the audience is encouraged to exercise and continue to explore our official selection of short films which can be found using the following links: 

Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
Health Emergencies
Better Health and Well-Being
Health Equity special shortlist

4 pm CEST / 2^nd Awards Ceremony / Health Emergencies category

Online screening of the Grand Prix winning film in the category of “Health Emergencies” and an additional short film, which received a special mention of the jury.

Following the screenings will be a discussion between the winners and the jurors for this category with WHO’s Executive Director of Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Mike Ryan; Psychotherapist and gender rights activist, Dr Leyla Hussein (Somalia); and President of World Federation of Science Journalists, Milica Momcilovic (Serbia).

5 pm CEST / 3^rd Awards Ceremony / Universal Health Coverage category and special prize for "Health Equity"

Online screening of the Grand Prix winning film in the category of “Universal Health Coverage” and the special prize-winning film for “Health Equity”.

The ceremony will pay tribute to two very important themes this year:

6 pm CEST / Closing of the event

Reminder about the game proposed to the public and conclusive remarks on our film festival by WHO’s Executive Director of Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Mike Ryan.