The Story of Human Rights, directed by Los Angeles-based Taron Lexton, took top honors as Best Documentary at the first annual Clearwater Film Festival this weekend.
The Story of Human Rights, directed by Los Angeles-based Taron Lexton, took top honors as Best Documentary at the first annual Clearwater Film Festival this weekend.
The film depicts a world timeline from the unlikely roots of human rights in ancient Persia, onward to the progress of England’s Magna Charta, the U.S. Declaration of Human Rights and the bloody French Revolution’s Rights of Man. But as “civilized” as the world had become, the film shows that human rights had yet to take their worst beatings: World War I that was to be the “War to End All Wars” and it was not, instead begetting the horror of World War II genocide and massive destruction that left tens of millions dead across the world.
From this destruction came the next great milestone in human rights: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, issued by the United Nations in 1948 to make good on the “never again” mantra of survivors of that era. But more than 60 years later, the Declaration is still largely unknown across the world—and the hope of the film’s creator and sponsor is to change that through human rights education.
A panel of industry professionals selected the film as the best among entries from around the world in the new festival that bills itself as “a showcase for both seasoned filmmakers and emerging artists who demonstrate the synergy of the actor, writer and director.”
Lexton, 26, accepted the award: “I am extremely honored that The Story of Human Rights was awarded by such a prestigious new festival. The film was a labor of love, and this recognition will bring its important message to more people.”
“The Church of Scientology International has sponsored this project from its inception,” he said. “They had tremendous faith in me and in the campaign, and without their support it would not have been possible. The Church’s legacy of human rights activism and social betterment around the world is decades long, and I believe this film embodies their humanitarian objective.”
The film has been broadcast worldwide, reaching millions of viewers in nine languages. Produced at the Church’s international audiovisual center, Golden Era Productions, it is a core component of the secular Youth for Human Rights initiative to educate young people in human rights so they become advocates for tolerance and peace.
Other components include What Are Human Rights, a youth-oriented enactment of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a music video titled UNITED, both created by Lexton and available in 17 languages.
To find out more, visit www.youthforhumanrightsinternational.org.
The film depicts a world timeline from the unlikely roots of human rights in ancient Persia, onward to the progress of England’s Magna Charta, the U.S. Declaration of Human Rights and the bloody French Revolution’s Rights of Man. But as “civilized” as the world had become, the film shows that human rights had yet to take their worst beatings: World War I that was to be the “War to End All Wars” and it was not, instead begetting the horror of World War II genocide and massive destruction that left tens of millions dead across the world.
From this destruction came the next great milestone in human rights: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, issued by the United Nations in 1948 to make good on the “never again” mantra of survivors of that era. But more than 60 years later, the Declaration is still largely unknown across the world—and the hope of the film’s creator and sponsor is to change that through human rights education.
A panel of industry professionals selected the film as the best among entries from around the world in the new festival that bills itself as “a showcase for both seasoned filmmakers and emerging artists who demonstrate the synergy of the actor, writer and director.”
Lexton, 26, accepted the award: “I am extremely honored that The Story of Human Rights was awarded by such a prestigious new festival. The film was a labor of love, and this recognition will bring its important message to more people.”
“The Church of Scientology International has sponsored this project from its inception,” he said. “They had tremendous faith in me and in the campaign, and without their support it would not have been possible. The Church’s legacy of human rights activism and social betterment around the world is decades long, and I believe this film embodies their humanitarian objective.”
The film has been broadcast worldwide, reaching millions of viewers in nine languages. Produced at the Church’s international audiovisual center, Golden Era Productions, it is a core component of the secular Youth for Human Rights initiative to educate young people in human rights so they become advocates for tolerance and peace.
Other components include What Are Human Rights, a youth-oriented enactment of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a music video titled UNITED, both created by Lexton and available in 17 languages.
To find out more, visit www.youthforhumanrightsinternational.org.
