The Solidarity Film Festival began in 2011, driven by a deep belief in the power of art, particularly cinema, to bring about meaningful change in ideological perceptions and in reality. The Solidarity Festival, the only cultural event in Israel dedicated entirely to human rights,  offers an excellent cinematic experience that, alongside the pleasure of watching films in public, aims to provoke thought and ignite discussions on issues central to liberal and humanistic thinking—especially at a time when democracy in Israel and globally is being challenged and human rights are under threat. 
 
The festival's program includes award-winning international and Israeli films, both narrative and documentary, and provides frameworks to explore burning topics related to various issues and struggles such as democracy, pursuit of peace, globalization, refugees and asylum seekers, discrimination, racism, women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, children's and youth rights, freedom of expression, workers' rights, hunger, poverty, food security, environmental justice, and the climate crisis. Special attention is given to unique local issues, especially the occupation and the Basic Law, reflecting a deep responsibility and commitment to creating a more just and equitable society in Israel. 
 
Over the years, the Solidarity Festival has established fruitful partnerships and professional connections with human rights organizations and civil society groups in Israel and around the world, with whom we share common ideological foundations and strive to promote shared values. These collaborations, alongside collaborations with institutions, bodies, and organizations in the field of cinema, enable the festival to maintain complete artistic freedom while pursuing artistic excellence, encouraging filmmakers who focus on human rights, and providing the audience with a meticulous and optimal cinematic experience. 
 
Through various competitions, the festival offers premiere screenings of outstanding films by leading filmmakers from Israel and abroad, alongside special tracks of including a student film competition and films by high school students. The festival's focus on the next generation of creators is intended to encourage the exploration of political and social issues in cinematic work, particularly against the backdrop of the crises of human rights  – including the constitutional crisis and the weakening of the democratic idea, the deepening occupation and the increasing violence against the Palestinians in the territories, October 7 and the war in Gaza that became criminal – and the struggles to strengthen human rights in Israel and around the world. 

 
In addition to the annual festival held at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque and other venues, we offer year-round programs in Israel's social and geographic peripheries, aiming to introduce human rights topics to as wide an audience as possible and to provide additional tools for empowerment, creation and self-expression. Films from the Solidarity festival are screened throughout the year in various locations across Israel social and educational cinema projects organized by the festival, including workshops, masterclasses, and sessions we conduct with youth in unrecognized villages in the Negev and mixed cities.