Human rights and human dignity (HRHD) is a major theme

of the second annual Tryon International Film Festival (TRIFF), which will include independent full-length features, shorts, documentaries, student films and animated projects, scheduled for Oct. 8 and 9.

Talkbacks with filmmakers and actors will be taking a major leap forward in 2016, encouraging discussion and debate about vital issues surrounding human trafficking, rape and child sexual abuse.

HRHD was established at the suggestion of Homayra Sellier, the founder of Innocence in Danger, an international child protection organization, operating in nine countries including France, United Kingdom, Colombia, Germany, Switzerland, United States of America, Austria, Iran and Morocco.

Sellier, who lives in Europe and travels constantly to her many offices, has also agreed to speak remotely to the TRIFF audience, about the relevance and importance of the category. Sellier was also instrumental for arranging for Cecilia Peck’s inclusion of “Brave Miss World” to the 2016 programming schedule.

Since Sellier is multilingual — fluent in Spanish, French, English and Farsi — she will also be selecting all films submitted to the HRHD category. Devoting her life to human rights issues, she is well suited for the task. Over the years, Sellier’s organization has utilized television documentaries, billboard campaigns and other media platforms to help raise awareness on human abuse.

A number of the French, Swiss, and German films and visual works which Sellier and her offices have been involved with have been nominated for prestigious prizes such as Prix Debouzy, one of France’s most prestigious awards, and short films/spots at Cannes film competition categories.

Sellier was also the primary inspiration for “Illegitimate Advantage,” a 2016 novel written by Kirk Gollwitzer, the co-founder of TRIFF.

Sellier and Gollwitzer are actively working together to adapt the novel to a major motion picture.

– article submitted by Kirk Gollwitzer