[16/04/07 11:00] On 14th April, Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg attended the award ceremony of the 26th International Istanbul Film Festival and presented the first FACE award (Film Award of the Council of Europe) to the France-Mali-US co-production entitled "Bamako" (The Court). Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako from Mauritania, the film was chosen out of ten films in the human rights section for best reflecting the Council of Europe's values.
"It is essential that those who have been deprived of their voices are granted the right to be heard - irrespective of whether we agree with their opinions or not. "Bamako" brings this message to wider audiences with a unique clarity," the Commissioner said after presenting the award.
The Human Rights Jury was composed of Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni (Italy), Philippe Boillat (Switzerland) and Turgut Tarhanli (Turkey), and the award was presented on behalf of Secretary General Terry Davis.
