The 4th Annual UCSB Human Rights Film Festival will begin tonight at 7 p.m. in Campbell Hall, showcasing contemporary films that highlight global injustices to humanity.

Hosted by Arts & Lectures, along with the Human Rights Watch and the Santa Barbara Committee, the three-night event will feature six international films, including a Sundance Film Festival Official Selection, as well as several other award-winning films. Tickets cost $8 for UCSB students and $10 for the general public, with three-day passes available for $16 and $20.

Pamela Yates, director of “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court” said her documentary about prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s search for some of the world’s most notorious human rights violators reveals a welcome shift in global justice and was recognized at Sundance.

“To think that no one would be immune, even heads of states might be brought to justice for genocide during an ongoing conflict, was an amazing idea,” Yates said in a director’s release.

The filmmakers responsible for this film, as well as those behind “Project Kashmir” – a Human Rights Watch International Film Festival Official Selection – will be in attendance. Moreover, there will be an opportunity for students and other attendees to talk with filmmakers following their respective showings.

Nicolas Pascal, founder and advisor of the UCSB Human Rights group, said Santa Barbara is the perfect place to host a film festival highlighting global concerns about human rights.

“It is fitting that the Human Rights Watch Film Festival has found a home in Santa Barbara, given that our campus has the highest proportion of registered voters of any university in the United States,” Pascal said.

Victoria Riskin, chair of the Santa Barbara Human Rights Watch, said she is impressed with the wide range of issues being presented in the film festival.

“The university Arts & Lectures program has done an outstanding job of selecting six powerful films for the 4th Annual Human Rights Film Festival that illuminate important human rights issues,” Riskin said. “Each of the films in the series is outstanding, and for anyone interested in international justice or global studies, they provide a rich background into different parts of the world.”

Alexandra Nystrom, vice president of the UCSB Human Rights Group, which has previously worked with the Santa Barbara Human Rights Watch, said this year’s film festival is an ideal way for UCSB students to engage in critical international concerns.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to spread the word to our students about global issues that are so often overlooked,” Nystrom said. “You can go into Campbell Hall knowing nothing about the subject of the film you are about to watch and walk away with opened eyes and the motivation to do what you can to help.”

Tickets can be purchased at the Arts & Lectures ticket office, or online at their Web site.