6 Travel Films that Champion Human Rights: Journey Through Beauty and Struggle
Let us start a cinematic journey through a few beautiful yet thought-provoking movies that deal with universal freedom and fundamental human rights through amazing travel stories. These movies will take you through beautiful geographical landscapes and at the same time, allow you to immense into the complexities of cultural boundaries, social justice, and different faces of the human spirit.
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
The breathtaking travel of two young men is portrayed expertly in the movie, ‘The Motor Cycle Diaries’. Two students from Argentina set out on a Norton 500 motorbike, marking the beginning of their incredible voyage. Their journey which started to discover the magnificent continent traversed through Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia, and took an end in Venezuela. The movie delves into the cultural diversities of South America and highlights how the two travellers underwent a complete transformation. One of the travellers was Earnest Guevara, who became the ‘Marxist gorilla’ Che Guevara. The movie shows us how travel has the power to transform one’s life and outlook.
Track (2013)
Solo trips are always intriguing, and sometimes they provide us the chance to celebrate our independence. ‘Track’, the travel movie released in 2013, tells us the story of an Australian woman’s solitary adventures across the deserts with a herd of camels. Her travel shows us many glimpses and shades of human life and existence. Self-discovery, loneliness, and the difference between traditions and modernism are put forward in the movie.
Lost in Thailand( 2012)
Lost in Thailand, the Chinese movie released in 2012, narrates the incidents that took place in a light-hearted travelogue. Two businessmen travel to Thailand with a plan to meet their boss. The narrative takes the viewers through unexpected twists throughout their travels. Occasionally, the situations they encounter during their struggles contribute to the film’s comedic tone. Keeping humor as the essence, the film also showcases differences in cultures and clashes related to that. The story simultaneously highlights the importance of following one’s passion.
Lost Girls (2020)
The film ‘Lost Girls’ is created based on true events. The thread of the story revolves around a mother’s journey to find out her kidnapped daughter. Though this movie handles the journey of a disappointed mother, the story also sheds light to the marginalised communities in society, their struggles, and their right to get freedom.
Salt of the Earth (2014)
‘Salt of the Earth’ is a documentary film that chronicles the life and career of Sebastião Salgado. The film depicts travel stories related to many nations, displaying Salgado’s stunning photographs that portray migration, social injustice, dilemmas and human suffering.
A Map for Saturday (2007)
‘A Map for Saturday’ is a beautiful documentary chronicling a backpacker’s year-long travel throughout the world. The film explores the freedom and difficulties of long-term travel, the effects of globalization on local cultures, and more.
In all such movies, the characters embark on a physical journey and finally go through and witness different shades of life which help mold their true selves. Every narrative shows us the power of travel which cannot be underestimated.
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