Films for Health Impact
The Health for All Film Festival (HAFF) aims to create a movement for health promotion and health education through films. You can interact about that at our LinkedIn group of HAFF advocates, it's a public space for sharing your questions and/or experiences related to this goal, as briefly described below.
Whichever artistic approaches are used in film production, there are ways to use them to create better awareness about the issue covered by its story or message. It could be poetic or scientific, journalistic, or based on personal convictions; the best and most relevant ones create food for thought and trigger strong emotions. Our concept is for all types of films beyond just “training films” to be used by health promoters to convey knowledge based on scientific evidence, testimony, or an experience in health.
To explore this goal further, we have initiated a scientific research project on the impact of short films on behavioural change for better health. A few universities are already on board to elaborate the research concept and to start the scoping review as a first phase of this initiative. Other universities interested may contact our HAFF team.
Health education through films: more on this approach by WHO
Related links
Storytelling handbook
Storytelling is both a science and an art. Stories are in our nature. Our brains are wired for them. For at least 40 000 years – dating...
Be inspired by our educational tools
To guide health activists, health professionals, teachers, students, and more people about the above-mentioned concept, we have started to create the below series of educative tools at your disposal if their health topic is relevant to your health awareness promotion plan.
To help you navigate in the content of those educative panel discussions with experts, please check the timestamps in the YouTube summaries.
You may also contact the HAFF team at [email protected] to obtain some advice about the production of such educational tools.
How to make your pregnancy safer?
Panel discussion on Pre-eclampsia from WHO's HAFF winner in 2022
How to tell strong stories about nurses and midwives?
At the 2020 HAFF Awards Ceremony
The power of films and virtual reality for health education
At the Global Conference on Health Promotion in December 2021
Live discussion about HAFF’s Mental Health Film Prize
Based on “Knock on my Door” one of WHO’s HAFF winners in 2020
Live discussion about a winning film focusing on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Based on “A Doctor’s Dream” one of WHO’s HAFF winners in 2020
Panel discussion about health promotion for youth through films and arts & health
Based on “Cefalea” one of WHO’s HAFF winner in 2021
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Film Festival panel discussion at ECTMIH 2023 in Utrecht, The Netherlands
Mental Health
Film Festival panel discussion at ECTMIH 2023 in Utrecht, The Netherlands
Climate Change and Health
Film Festival panel discussion at ECTMIH 2023 in Utrecht, The Netherlands
Additional content
Special chapter about video games and interactivity - with David Chandross, WHO Academy expert
Special chapter about the usage of HAFF’s winning films on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria to create awareness among local communities, with Anita Abada, Producer in Nigeria and HAFF winner.