It is that wonderful time of the year when the New York chapter of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival is around the corner. It is the 20th anniversary of the fest and it will take place from June 11-25, 2009.

The line-up was announced today (and is below) and we’ll start to have reviews of the films towards the end of May!

Afghan Star (Director: Havana Marking - New York premiere)

After 30 years of war and the Taliban’s repression, Afghan Pop Idol is taking the nation by storm. But this is more than just a TV show. In Afghanistan you risk your life to sing.

Back Home Tomorrow (Director: Fabrizio Lazzaretti and Paolo Santolini - US premiere)

A cinematically stunning examination of two lives affected by conflict that illustrates how hope prevails in even the most desperate of settings.

Born Into Brothels (Director: Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman)

The story of a group of unforgettable children who embark on a transformational journey with photographer Zana Briski as they learn to photograph their own lives.

Crude (Director: Joe Berlinger - New York premiere)

The inside story of the “Amazon Chernobyl” case in the rainforest of Ecuador, the largest oil-related environmental lawsuit in the world.

Eden is West - Benefit Gala (Director: Costa-Gavras)

Master filmmaker Costa-Gavras crafts an epic story of our times — the journey of an emigrant in search of a better life — full of heart, humor, and wondrous complexities.

Ford Transit (Director: Hany Abu-Assad)

A portrait of the day-to-day reality of a Ramallah taxi driver caught between checkpoints and politics.

Good Fortune (Director: Landon Van Soest and Jeremy Levine - New York premiere)

Are massive international efforts to alleviate poverty in Africa undermining the very communities they aim to benefit?

In the Holy Fire of Revolution (Director: Masha Novikova - US premiere)

A unique take on Putin’s Russia as seen through the experiences of chess champion turned activist Garry Kasparov.

Iraq in Fragments (Director: James Longley)

A film that illuminates post-war Iraq in three acts, building a vivid picture of a country pulled in different directions by religion and ethnicity.

Jung: In the Land of the Mujaheddin (Director: Alberto Vendemmiati and Fabrizio Lazzaretti)

A tour de force look at a surgeon and a war correspondent who join forces to set up a hospital to deal with the humanitarian consequences of war in Afghanistan.

Kabuli Kid (Director: Barmak Akram US premiere)

Barmak Akram’s incisive look at daily life in Kabul follows the adventures of a taxi driver and his new-found ward.

Look Into My Eyes (Director: Naftaly Gliksberg - US premiere)

Is anti-Semitism a buzz-word for all kinds of real or imagined slights? Is it an arcane expression that should be retired, or is there legitimacy to outcries worldwide that anti-Semitism is again on the rise?

Mrs. Goundo’s Daughter (Director: Barbara Attie and Janet Goldwater - New York premiere)

The moving story of a West African mother’s fight for asylum in the US to protect her two-year-old daughter from female genital cutting.

My Neighbor, My Killer (Director: Anne Aghion - New York premiere)

When peace comes, how do you make it right again? An epic emotional journey in search of coexistence in Rwanda.

Regret to Inform (Director: Barbara Sonneborn)

One filmmaker’s personal odyssey to Vietnam, where her husband died and where she discovers an unexpected sisterhood of widows from the ‘other side’.

Remnants of a War (Director: Jawad Metni - New York premiere)

When the war ends, the work to save the land begins.

Snow (Director: Aida Begi? - New York premiere)

A stunning debut feature depicting the drama of life in a post-war Bosnian village.

Tapologo (Director: Gabriela Gutierrez Dewar and Sally Gutierrez Dewar - US premiere)

A moving story of women in South Africa who have turned their tragedy into a tool.

The Age of Stupid (Director: Fanny Armstrong - New York premiere)

Why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court (Director: Pamela Yates, Paco de Onis, and Peter KinoyNew York premiere) - Opening Night

An insightful documentary that follows two riveting dramas—the prosecution of unspeakable crimes and the International Criminal Court’s fight for justice.

The Yes Men Fix the World (Director: Mike Bonanno, Andy Bichlbaum, and Kurt Engfehr - New York premiere) - Closing Night

The screwball true story of a couple of activists who infiltrate the world of big business and pull off outrageous pranks to expose corporate greed and its impact on society.

Youth Producing Change (World premiere)