A Wrap on the 7th Annual

Congratulations to the 2025 MCHRFF Award Winners!

The 7th Annual Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival honored filmmakers whose work inspires reflection, empathy, and action. This year’s selections represented the power of storytelling to illuminate truth and spark dialogue around the most pressing human rights issues of our time.

Best Documentary Feature
The Palestine Exception
As students across the country organize protests against Israel’s war on Gaza, decades-long taboos in academia around criticism of Israel–the “Palestine exception”–are shattered. A deeply moving examination of free speech, activism, and the human cost of political dissent, The Palestine Exception explores how voices calling for justice are often silenced, and what it means to stand firm in the face of opposition.

Best Documentary Short
Citizen: The Jilmar Ramos Gomez Story
This powerful short follows a decorated Marine veteran wrongfully detained by ICE, exposing the failures within the immigration and criminal justice systems. Citizen is a poignant reminder of how quickly citizenship and belonging can be called into question.

Best Narrative Short
Superman Doesn’t Steal
Based on true events, Superman Doesn’t Steal is a coming-of-age story, set during the 1970s Atlanta child murders- as seen through the eyes of 9-year-old Harriet & her brother, who are fascinated with superheroes. However, when they experience a troubling series of events, the impact on their family leaves emotional scars and causes them both to grow up fast as they redefine their definitions of heroes, villains, and yes- even Superman.

Best Student Film
Against A Sharp White Background
This short student film is an exploration of the effects of integration in education through the eyes of Zora Neale Hurston. Looking at the good, the bad, and the ugly effects on the education and experiences of black students.

Thank You to All Participating Filmmakers
Each of these films embodies the mission of the Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival: to engage audiences through powerful storytelling and to celebrate creators who use their art as a tool for justice.

Stay connected with us for upcoming events, encore screenings, and opportunities to experience these award-winning films again. Follow @morehousefilmfest on IG and Facebook.