Fundación Española por los Derechos Humanos and YOUROPE Project created the “Yourope – Short Film Competition on Democracy and Human Rights”, to raise awareness of issues concerning democracy, migration, inclusive future, cost of living crisis and climate.
The competition is open to audiovisual works in any digital format. Films must focus on one of the 5 key themes of the initiative. The maximum length of each short film is 15 minutes, including credits.
The competition will award prizes according to the following rules and criteria listed below.
The YOUROPE Short Film Competition on Democracy and Human Rights exists to give young people a platform to say something that matters using the format of video art and story telling.
We’re looking for films that engage with the big questions shaping life in Europe and beyond — democracy, migration, inclusion, economic hardship, and climate justice. These are the realities that young people are living, witnessing, and pushing back against every day.
Your film can take any form — documentary, fiction, animation, spoken word, experimental. It can be personal or political, local or global, quiet or loud. What matters is that it’s honest, and that it’s yours.
To help guide your thinking, we’ve put together five themes that reflect the core of what YOUROPE stands for. Think of them as an invitation, not a checklist. It is a place to start, not a fence to stay inside. We invite you to explore any topics that you find more crucial in your life and/or local environment.
To participate in the contest, applicants must meet the following conditions:
To help spark your ideas, we’ve put together five themes that reflect the issues at the heart of YOUROPE. They’re starting points, not boundaries. If your story doesn’t fit neatly into any of them, we would still love to see it!
Theme 1: Democracy Under Pressure Freedom of speech. The right to protest. The right to exist in public life. What does it feel like when these rights are threatened — and what does it look like when people refuse to give them up?
Theme 2: People on the Move Migrants, refugees, asylum seekers — and the Europe that receives them. Behind every statistic is a human being with a story. What’s the one you want to tell?
Theme 3: An Inclusive Future Who gets to belong — and who gets left out? Explore what inclusion really looks like: in your school, your neighbourhood, your country, your Europe.
Theme 4: The Cost of Living Poverty isn’t just a number. It’s a daily reality for millions across the EU. What does economic hardship do to people’s dignity, choices, and dreams?
Theme 5: Climate & Justice Climate change is a human rights issue — and young people know it better than anyone. Who is most affected? Who is fighting back? What does a fair future look like?
Don’t see your story here?
Good. Tell it anyway. These five themes reflect what we care deeply about — but the issues young people face don’t always come with neat labels. If you have a story about democracy, rights, or justice that takes us somewhere unexpected, we want to see it. Submit your idea and let’s talk.
Each submission must include the following materials:
