The Human Rights Film Festival organised by Ditshwanelo is at the Star Dust Cinema, Grand Palm, from Thursday April 7, through Friday April 15. The opening film tonight at 7 p.m. is Born into Struggle (2004), directed by Rehad Desai, who will be present to speak about his film at the Botswana premier.

In the film, he explores his relationship with his father, Barney Desai, who was a leading activist against apartheid in South Africa. Rehad became politically active when living in exile, but he in turn has suffered from alienation from his son, a factor which is explored in this film.

On Saturday April 9, the film festival will feature three movies that explore issues related to being a Muslim in a world divided by a so-called fight against terrorism. They are: at 11 am, Farah Nousheen's Nazrah: A Muslim Woman's Perspective (2003) on life in the United States; at 2 pm, Hany Abu-Assad's Rana's Wedding (2002) on life in Ramallah, Palestine, and what a young woman experiences while trying to prepare to get married; and at 5:30 pm, Ziad H. Hamzeh's The Letter: An American Town and the "Somali Invasion" (2002) on how white Americans in a mill town in Maine have reacted to over 1,000 migrants from Somalia joining their community.

On Monday April 11, starting at 7 pm, two films will explore the suffering and challenges facing the girl child in South Africa because of AIDS and in Kenya because of clitoridectomy or female circumcision. They are Ingrid Gavshon's Nikiwe (2004) and Kim Longinotto's The Day I Will Never Forget (2002).

On Tuesday the 12th the films return to Southern Africa, with first at 7 pm, Michael Raeburn's Zimbabwe: Countdown (2003) 52 minutes on the impact of Robert Mugabe; and then at 8 pm. Rehad Desai's and Anita Khanna's Looting the Nation (2004) on the murders of Carlos Cardoso and Antonio Siba Siba Macuacua in Mozambique and what they may mean.

Wednesday's film on the 13th will be Katy Chevigny's and Kirsten Johnson's feature Deadline (2003) which examines Illinois Governor George Ryan's discovery that dozens of possibly innocent men were being held on death row because of the failures of the judicial system and his mass pardoning of 100s of death row inmates.

The theme for Thursday April 14, is "The right to culture". There will be three short movies on the San in Southern Africa starting at 7 pm and going through 9:30 pm.

The concluding films of Friday the 15th is Zackie Achmat's Law and Freedom (2005) which will be presented in two parts starting at 7 pm: Who Was Mrs Khomani and It's a Nice Country!

The first Ditshwanelo film festival was in 1996. They have been held annually since 2002 to coincide with the Maitisong Festival. The film festivals are perceived as an instrument to promote human rights education. Ditshwanelo is to be commended as the films selected transcend any narrow political agenda - they are usually worth seeing in their own right. All have won awards at different film festivals.

Tickets will be on sale at Maitisong and at Riverwalk. They cost P25 per session. For further information about the films go to www.ditshwanelo.org.bw .