As part of its arts program, and for the first time ever, the festival sets foot in Footscray for HRAFF GOES WEST, an afternoon of entertainment and discussion, showcasing the stories of our newest Australians and celebrating their creative and cultural contribution. The event kicks off with a rhythmic, cross-cultural performance by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s Music Group, followed by a selection of short films from the Festival’s 2016 line-up and a panel discussion. This year, due to the high-calibre of International Shorts available and popularity of HRAFF’s short film offerings, the festival is expanding its line-up to include an additional International Shorts session. There will be four shorts sessions across the Melbourne leg in total, including the very popular Australian Shorts session. As part of the line-up HRAFF has secured all five nominees for Best Live Action Short Film at the 2016 Oscars, which include: Ave Maria, Day One, Everything Will Be Okay, Shok and Stutterer. For its second year, HRAFF will present the highly successful Breakfast Sessions – four forums over two weekends in Melbourne that will discuss topics that are at the forefront of current human rights debates. Bringing fresh perspectives and new insights, panels have been assembled to bring a variety of opinions, knowledge and expertise. There will also be forums in Sydney and Darwin, with the schedule to be confirmed in the coming weeks. Breakfast Sessions in Melbourne will be accompanied by tea, coffee and a muffin.