We are living in tumultuous times. Sometimes it feels almost normal to find out that another filmmaker is in hiding, or facing arrest for making a film that has upset a regime. And while this is not a new phenomenon, according to experts, there has been an increase in crackdowns globally on freedom of speech, affecting filmmakers alongside activists, journalists, and anyone else with a platform.

And just to be clear, this isn’t a far-away thing that can be ignored with the casual ennui that comes from living in the West. From Iran to the UK, filmmakers are threatened for speaking truth to power. This article summarises just a few of the places and filmmakers who have been silenced in recent years and it ends with a few glimmers of hope.

In a world where human rights are being violated, hope feels scarce – but that’s not entirely the case. With film festivals and organisations across the globe highlighting these issues, the flicker of hope is growing. I’m exploring these platforms and talking to filmmakers to find out what we, as an audience, can take away from human rights films.