North Dakota Human Rights Film & Arts Festival

2023 North Dakota Human Rights Arts Festival

The North Dakota Human Rights Film and Arts Festival returns in 2023. The traveling art exhibition opens in January at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, North Dakota, and will travel throughout the state until January 2024. Learn more about the traveling exhibition, participating artists, and avant-garde experimental filmmakers and animators.

Submissions for the film festival, which opens November 6 in Fargo at the historic Fargo Theatre, are being accepted via FilmFreeway through May 31, 2023.

Submit Your Film

Submit Your Film

May 31, 2023

The NDHRFF proudly accepts submissions on FilmFreeway.

Festival Event Calendar

Festival Event Calendar

Explore upcoming events, screenings, and receptions in 2023.

2023 Invited Artist

Photo courtesy of Nedahness Rose Greene (Greene Photography)

Hillary Kempenich

Anishinaabe Multidisciplinary Artist

Our 2023 Invited Artist is award-winning creator Hillary Kempenich.

Hillary Kempenich is a multi-disciplinary artist, cultural bearer, and advocate, emphasizing her work to empower Indigenous people.  She is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

Hillary has immersed herself in sustaining her small business and continues her passion for community work. Raised on the Turtle Mountain reservation, Kempenich continues advocating for better educational, health, and cultural standards through her work in urban and rural communities.

Her work, Power of Ikwe, will travel with the exhibition in 2023. 

Read More

Learn more

Ways to Engage

Festival Event Calendar

Festival Event Calendar

Explore upcoming events, screenings, and receptions in 2023.

News and Press

News and Press

The latest news and press about the festival.

Online Program

Online Program

Learn more about the exhibition, events, and participating artists and filmmakers.

Virtual Cinema

Virtual Cinema

Engage films, panel discussions, and more from the festival via our online cinema.

Explore the festival

Video Archive

Video Archive

Explore our recorded artist discussions and workshops.

Program Archive

Program Archive

Explore the history of the festival and past programs.
Coming Soon

Poster Archive

Poster Archive

Explore the art of the North Dakota Human Rights Film and Arts Festival.
Coming Soon

2023 Advisory Board

Tathagata Ghosh

Tathagata Ghosh

Mumbai, India

He/Him/His

Anna Johnson

Anna Johnson

Fargo, ND

She/Her/Hers

Paulette Moore

Paulette Moore

Sedona, AZ

She/Her/Hers

Festival Staff

Sean Coffman

Sean Coffman

Festival Director

He/Him/His

Shawn Cotter

Shawn Cotter

Queer Cinema Director

He/Him/His

Frederick Edwards

Frederick Edwards

Black Cinema Director

He/Him/His

Ben Efron

Ben Efron

Technical Director

He/Him/His

Falcon Gott

Falcon Gott

Native American Cinema Director

He/Him/His

Jim Heilmann

Jim Heilmann

Minot Program Director

He/Him/His

Matt Johnson

Matt Johnson

Musical Director

He/Him/His

Melanie Moniz

Melanie Moniz

Twin Buttes Program Director

She/Her/Hers

Our Supporters

Upcoming Events

09 Feb

2023 Arts Festival Opening

The Gallery at Empire Arts Center  | Grand Forks

02 Mar

Artist Reception

The Gallery at Empire Arts Center | Grand Forks

03 Mar

The exhibition closes in Grand Forks

The Gallery at Empire Arts Center | Grand Forks
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