Artistic Freedom Initiative and INHR invite you to hear from Afghan, Iranian and Russian artists about the challenges faced by women professionals in arts and culture who use their creative voices to confront systemic oppression and advocate for gender equality. The dialogue will underscore the urgent need for international solidarity, immediate action and the recognition of the role that artists play as human rights defenders. This is a hybrid event.
Mania Akbari: Mania Akbari, artist, writer, and curator, is one of Iran’s most distinctive filmmakers. Now residing in London, Akbari is committed to highlighting the invisible through her artistic practice. Her feminist and politically engaged work boldly advocates for gender equality and seeks freedom beyond censorship. Akbari continues to produce films in Iran, remaining deeply connected to her homeland.
Sahraa Karimi: Sahraa Karimi is an acclaimed Afghan film director, screenwriter, and university lecturer. She founded her own film and multimedia company in Kabul and became the first woman to lead the state film organization, Afghan Film. Forced to flee in 2021 due to the Taliban’s return, she now lectures internationally and continues her filmmaking and advocacy in exile.
Elina Kulikova: Elina Kulikova is a Russian theater director and artist. Known for her work on feminist and queer narratives, she fled Russia in 2022 after facing political persecution due to the Ukraine invasion. Now in Switzerland, Kulikova continues to create multidisciplinary theater projects addressing state violence, identity, and repression, advocating for contemporary Russian artists.
Sanjay Sethi: Sanjay Sethi serves as Artistic Freedom Initiative’s Co-Executive Director, overseeing coordination of its advocacy programs and legal services programs. In his capacity as a human rights and immigration lawyer, Sethi has led AFI’s legal team in representing artists at risk of persecution and censorship in over 1650 cases since 2017. Sethi will moderate the discussion.