iREP 2025: Interrogating rights, responsibility in the age of social media
By Femi Odugbemi
THE 2025 edition of iREPRESENT International Film Festival will explore the intricate balance between personal freedoms and the collective responsibility that sustains a democracy. Set against the backdrop of contemporary global challenges, the festival invites filmmakers, thinkers and audiences to engage with the essential questions: How do we reconcile the right to free expression with the need for societal order? In an age where digital platforms amplify both the promise and peril of free speech, what is the true cost of unrestrained liberty? This year’s theme, “Freedom: Rights and Responsibility,” delves into the tension between individual rights—such as freedom of speech, personal autonomy and the pursuit of prosperity—and the role of the state and institutions in curbing those freedoms in the interest of public safety, national security or the rights of others.
It also interrogates the impact of misinformation and disinformation in the digital age, where the line between truth and falsehood is often blurred. In an era of social media dominance, where the speed of information often outpaces truth, how do we safeguard the sanctity of truth? The documentary genre, often seen as a vanguard in the search for truth, faces new and unprecedented challenges. As filmmakers confront censorship, propaganda and a fractured media landscape, how do they continue to illuminate the realities of our time without compromising on the integrity of their craft?
With a focus on the interplay of rights and responsibilities, we aim to foster critical conversations on how freedom, truth and justice coexist in our increasingly interconnected world. What does it mean to be truly free? And what do we owe each other in the pursuit of that freedom?
* Odugbemi, filmmaker and documentary expert, is co-founder of iREP Docu-Film Festival
