Cate Blanchett discusses impact of 'flagrant inhumanity' on filmmakers

Cate Blanchett is celebrating the achievements of the Displacement Film Fund, which she launched last year at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

This year, Cate is happily presenting the first short films that the program has helped make.

The Oscar winning actress told Variety she could "not be more excited" ahead of the festival, which will see the screening of the short films on January 30.

"The stories and the filmmakers’ approach to the experience of being displaced are deeply personal and heartbreaking, with moments of absurdity in them as well. They are as diverse and exciting as I could have hoped," she said.

The Black Bag actress went on to comment on the political reasons for displacement of filmmakers, saying, "Displacement is a global issue. We have strong men and criminals trying to write themselves into the history books through force and flagrant inhumanity, which only exacerbates the collective challenge and distress around displacement. At some point, we in the industry need to welcome these displaced perspectives into our narratives and slates."

She also gushed about working with the selection committee, which consisted of Blanchett, Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, Green Border director Agnieszka Holland, Flee director Jonas Poher Rasmussen, the LGBTQ+ asylum seeker who inspired Flee, IFFR festival director Vanja Kaludjercic, For Sama director Waad Al Kateab, activist and refugee Aisha Khurram and Amin Nawabi [alias].