Last Ride Home

Last Ride Home explores the profound human cost of the Ukraine war, shedding light on the volunteers delivering critical medical aid on the frontlines and the families left waiting in uncertainty. It follows the stories of families bidding tearful farewells to husbands and fathers, fathers who often rely on the life-saving interventions to make it back home. Through these deeply personal narratives, the film captures the struggles of separation, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of war.

ON VISIBLE

Benjamin is a young slam poet, unlike any other.
His mother, Claire, is convinced of her son's talent. But when society reduces you to your disability...
So, how can you turn your weaknesses into your own strength...

Don't Look Away

Věra Čáslavská is a hero in her homeland but few outside of the Czech Republic know her name.

Čáslavská is one of only three female gymnasts, along with Soviet Larisa Latynina, tand American Simone Biles o win the all-around gold medal at two consecutive Olympics.

She remains the only gymnast, male or female, to have won an Olympic gold medal in each individual gymnastics event. Apart from being an outstanding athlete she was also a patriot.

Čáslavská was known for her outspoken support of the Czechoslovak democratization movement and her opposition to the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. This was at a time when women across the world rarely had a voice. Following the invasion she fled to the countryside to continue training in secret unsure as to whether she would be allowed to compete at the Mexico Olympic Games.

Permission was granted, but following two incidents which saw her have to share the gold medal and accept silver she made her own silent protest to the world by looking down and away while the Soviet national anthem was played during the medal ceremonies for the balance beam and floor exercise event finals.

While Čáslavská’s actions were applauded by her compatriots, they resulted in her becoming a persona non grata under the new regime when she returned home. She was forced into retirement and for many years was denied the right to travel, work and attend sporting events.

Don’t Look Away tells the story of this remarkable woman her courage and her achievements.

$100 (A Hundred Dollars Bill)

A retired violist finds by accident money in the garden when walking her dog in the morning. She thinks the money she found will change her life for better, but it comes out the money is fake.

The Interception Game

The Interception Game explores the unlikely wartime bond between Ukrainian soldiers and footballers through the true story of the Mykhailenko brothers—Serhii, an air defense commander, and Mykola, a player on Ukraine’s Olympic football team.

While one risks his life on the frontline, the other represents his nation on the global stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The film reveals how victories in football can offer hope to those at war—and how both battles are fought for the same future.

It’s a story of brotherhood, resilience, and the invisible thread connecting stadiums and trenches.

The Visit

Its visiting day in a dementia care home. An old lonely man gets a visit that desperately seeks to bring out emotions and fading family memories. A short story about loneliness, empathy and hope.

TRAUMA

Story of an actress who played the role of a woman trapped in a country at war.
A role that required six months of preparation — a deep immersion into a character that eventually caused her severe psychological problems.
A delicate situation that affected her mental health… So, how must it be for those who have lived the real experience?

“Wars destroy souls more than bodies.”

We often focus on material damage, deaths, and physical injuries, but we rarely stop to consider the psychological wounds such events inflict.

HENRI SOLEIL

"I am endowed with an absurd sensitivity, what scratches others tears me apart." These words are from Gustave Flaubert. This is exactly how Hugo feels. Being hypersensitive means feeling everything TOO intensely. As a result, one can get hurt quickly and would gladly do without this emotional burden. But you can't just part ways with your hypersensitivity whenever you want. No matter how much you reject it, it comes back. Hugo's has even been given a name: Henri Soleil. Always by his side. Too bad. Or maybe it's for the best... after all!

Meet the Maker: Yaakoub

Yaakoub lived in Katsikas refugee camp in northwest Greece. He grew his own garden inside Katsikas camp. When this was no longer allowed, he became involved in the community garden at the maker space Habibi.Works, growing food to be used in community meals offered in this space each day.

Al Maram

"Maram" a mother and journalist, she was forced to be displaced from her city. Just like what happened to her ancestors seventy five years ago. Maram defies war danger, displacement circumstances, targeting journalists, also being away from her children for long hours, so she can continue her journalism work as she convey the truth, even if it costs her life.

I AM

In the dim light of a studio, the breathing of a motionless woman, a ray of light gliding over her skin, the haunting sound of an electric guitar.

In a play of light and shadow, Annabelle Lengronne embodies six women from Africa living with HIV who tell their stories after being ostracized, abused, and subjected to gender-based and sexual violence.

Today, in Saint Denis, the Ikamberé association is helping them rebuild their lives.

Annabelle brings their testimonies to life so that we can hear them say: “I am HIV-positive, I am standing tall, I am alive.”

Faith and the Christmas Star

An animated chidren's Christmas film with original instrumental soundtrack. The message is Faith, hope and love are the manifestation of Christmas and as a result Christmas lives in our hearts every day.

FRIEND

After moving to a new city, an excellent girl really wants to find new friends, but children are cruel, and parents are busy with their own affairs, and only an old loyal friend is always there, he will always support and calm down, he will always follow the girl wherever she goes.

Belly Like Feeling

Zahide (10) wants to film a TikTok video with her friends, but no one is interested. When Chiara (7) shows up—known for often asking for food—the children suddenly shut her out.

Pauline (6) watches the scene unfold, feels for Chiara, and goes over to comfort her. Together, they start dancing, and soon the music draws the others in. One by one, they join—except for Zahide, who now finds herself on the outside.

Realizing her mistake, Zahide struggles with what to do. Instead of offering a direct apology, she looks for another way to make things right.

The Fight

In a North London boxing gym ruled by boys, an 11-year-old girl trains with fierce resolve. When she’s shut out, she makes a bold, heartbreaking gesture that forces everyone to see her, a raw, poetic portrait of girlhood, grief, and resilience.

Memoria Collectiva

In 1983, during the darkest days of Peru’s Armed Conflict with the Shining Path, masked soldiers entered Adelina’s home and took her husband away. She would never see him again. After facing silence and contempt from the Police and Army, Adelina joins forces with the many other women who have lost their husbands and children to soldiers who were supposed to protect them. Together, they will unite to demand justice.

Ballad of the Mountain

An outcast girl must fight the bullies and overcome her fears to pursue her ambition to fly to the other side of the mountain.

I CAN SMELL A RAT

Maribel, 10, is surprised when her drama teacher tells her that she has to play Hamlet in the school play just 2 days before the show, as she is the only one available after the girl who was playing Hamlet got sick and won’t make it. Maribel faces the biggest decision of her life: what to do when she has never taken a part in a play before, other than being a set decoration. She goes home and spends the scariest night of her life with all her fears coming to life.

The Family Photo

What happened after an Earth astronaut left a family photo on the moon fifty-plus years ago? This animated short explores the butterfly effect of such an action. How will it affect us all?

Father Nose Best

The main character, Leonard, a 30-year-old dentist, reluctant to embrace his family’s Clown heritage, falls in love with his dental hygienist, Samantha, who gets infected with the Non-Laughing Virus, which is causing the world to stop laughing, how will he find the cure to save Samantha and also the world?

THE DORMANT ACCOUNT

The story takes place in the present (and during the period of Slovak State 1939–1945). Today, the topic is becoming exciting for us due to the approaching date of identifying the unknown owners of dormant Nazi accounts from the end of World War II who must claim these accounts in Swiss banks. The peculiarity and originality of the story lie in the reflection of the historical context associated with the protagonist’s search for a secret that is rooted in the period in which the most terrible crimes of the last century took place and that is connected with Aryanization, boundless greed, ruthlessness, borderline manifestations of inhumanity, and an unlimited desire for power. In the labyrinth of information, memories, clashes, tragic twists, and surprising discoveries, the protagonist ultimately gains nothing more than a new knowledge of his consciousness and underlying values that he cannot abandon at any cost, which can often mean disproportionately more than any pecuniary benefit.

WALL OF DEATH GYPSY

In the south of France, a gypsy family’s fight for survival: The Wall of Death Gypsy is a matter of life and death for the members of its mechanical circus. Outcast, free souls, punks, constantly on the edge, playing with the dangers of their trade. They share their dreams, wanting to live a free existence whilst creating an extraordinary and timeless show…
Far from the sanitized digital pleasures of our time, a return to the poetry of reality.

Down

Manon and Pierre are waiting for a child for many years. But when Manon is finally pregnant, she discovers that it is a high-risk pregnancy.

ROOTS and WINGS

ROOTS and WINGS is an interview-driven documentary which explores the lives of four migrant women, each of whom represents a distinct cultural background—The Netherlands, the Caribbean, Poland, and Russia.
Every participant shares their own vision of success, detailing how their understanding has changed since moving to the UK —or remained steadfast—throughout their lives.
Abana, director and producer is herself a migrant from Poland who relocated to the UK in 2004. Coming from a family of contrasting values, she has developed her own vision of success however it was significantly challenged by migration and served as a major source of inspiration for this project.
Unlike narratives centred on refugees, the women in this film are migrants who came to the UK for diverse reasons—marriage, economic opportunity, love, study or the pursuit of a better life. Abana’s own migration was driven by the need to escape the racism prevalent in Poland at the time, enabling her to live with her foreign husband in a safe environment.
The uniqueness of this documentary lies in its experimental approach. As a neurodivergent filmmaker, Abana intentionally avoids the use of music in the film and its trailer. This creative choice allows viewers the space to listen to the participants’ stories without emotional manipulation.
Filmed in Abana’s garage studio on a minimal budget and runs for 28 minutes. Archival photographs, though not always of high technical quality, enrich the film with authenticity.

Kaeté

Kaeté follows 3 characters in the region of Ubatuba, on the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
The first represents air, René Santos. He is an ornithologist and birdwatcher. He is searching for the Calyptura cristata, a bird endemic to the Atlantic Forest, extinct for 200 years.
The second represents water, Weslley Dantas. He is a professional surfer and the current Brazilian champion. He comes from a family of surfers with a strong connection to Itamambuca beach in Ubatuba.
The third represents earth, Bruno Sales, is a “bamboo artisan” specializing in natural construction. The sustainable potential that bamboo represents for society is his life's purpose.
The importance of reconnecting humans with nature and respecting natural environments permeates the entire narrative in an imagery and sensory documentary, which prominently features the teachings of the indigenous Elder Yakuy Tupinambá.

Our Circle in the Storm

A group of climate refugees, most of whom have disabilities, have made a home of an abandoned house.

They live, cook, laugh, cry, eat, dance and work the land together, feeling like a family while feeling vulnerable to the hostile outside climate.

A wild storm arrives and one of the group has to leave.

Horizons of Belonging

What does it mean to be a Ukrainian newcomer in Alberta, Canada? A film crew followed four Ukrainian families over a year in Edmonton and Calgary as they navigated the challenges of rebuilding their lives after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Horizons of Belonging is a deeply personal exploration of identities, displacement and belonging, shedding light on what it means to be a modern Ukrainian, and ‘start over’ in a new country.

The Other Side of the Pipe

The Southern Gas Corridor, spanning 3500 kilometers from Azerbaijan to southern Italy, represents Europe's largest energy endeavor. Greek farmer Themis, retired teacher Ippazio, and young activist Giacomo feel the pipeline impacts their lives and lands. Together, they unite in a global fight against the project, undeterred by potential consequences, driven by a profound desire to safeguard the environment, democracy, and European values. It is a human portrait of a battle that is still ongoing.

I Am Gitxsan (subtitled)

"I Am Gitxsan" follows Phoenix Apperloo, a recent high school graduate reconnecting with his Indigenous heritage in Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada. Inspired by encounters with residential school survivors, he writes a heartfelt letter to Prime Minister Trudeau about the injustices faced by his people.
The documentary highlights the impact of colonialism on the Gitxsan community, featuring insights from experts like Dr Gabor Maté and showcasing their resilience through protests and legal actions. It culminates with a moving message of hope and determination, emphasizing the power of the Gitxsan people's enduring spirit, the beauties of their culture, and their commitment to future generations.

A piece of life

An Iraqi Kurdish couple with their child and a Syrian Arab couple with their child, who are the only survivors of the boat of war migrants, venture into the sea to escape the fire of war and save the lives of their children in order to find a shelter, aboard the smugglers' ship with an unknown destination.

La Vitesse des Étoiles

A strange encounter.
He travels for work. She, to free herself from uncertainties.

I See Gaza - Dublin Episode

The documentary I See Gaza brings the stories of people of conscience who hear the voices of children, women, journalists and health workers who are killed every day, who are tested by hunger, who try to escape from bombs in desperation, who lose their entire families one by one, who watch their homes and schools destroyed, and who oppose the genocide in Gaza.
Ordinary people who feel the pain in their hearts and stand up for humanity, demand that the genocide in Gaza be stopped as soon as possible and the Palestinian territories be liberated.
This documentary tells the story of the passionate and faithful protests of the free Irish, who have been oppressed for years under the oppressive policies of Britain. Irish activists in Dublin, Belfast and even Glasgow know what it means to be oppressed, separatist, hungry and oppressed, and they are raising their voices for Palestinians everywhere. They are on the streets, in squares, in stadiums... They are the elderly, families, mothers, Ultra groups... And one of these activists is one of the best known stars of the film and media industry - Liam Cunningham! Unlike the majority of his industry, he speaks his truth about Gaza without hesitation.
The documentary team contacted many activists, world-renowned names, journalists, opinion leaders, action groups or social media accounts from all over the world who are calling for an end to the genocide in Gaza. They planned the shooting by following the traces of each event and person for weeks. Designed as 6 episodes, the new episodes of the project will follow the stories of new people who have waged war against at least one of the sources that feed the genocide in a different geography.

Still as a Tree

A reclusive forest ranger, who finds solace in nature over humanity, is forced to confront his mistrust when two environmental researchers arrive, threatening the only world he calls home.

The Sufferers On Earth 2

The Osso family, who have been living in Turkey for about ten years, cannot return to their country due to distrust of the Assad regime.
Although they have adapted to this place, legal uncertainties and the resulting deprivation of rights force them to seek a future abroad once again.
However, the fact that a brother whose asylum application has been rejected will be left behind leaves the family facing a new separation.
This is the story of a family stuck between integration and legal uncertainty, their journey shaped by the Decadences of forced migration and the testing of family ties.

Eaux Troubles (Cloudy Waters)

A paintor needs extra hands

Be Kind !

Roger and Lucienne, married for a long time, live in a farmhouse in the heart of a village in France. Roger is happy to be deadpan and those around him pay the price, especially his wife. One evening, when her husband has once again been unkind to their son and daughter-in-law, Lucienne makes him a bet: if he loses it, he will have to be nice to everyone - including her - for 24 hours. If he wins, she will leave him alone. Stung, Roger agrees to take the bet… and loses it. What Roger doesn't know is that Lucienne has concocted an obstacle course for him: they are going to meet several people and Roger will have to apologize to them.

The Postman of Nagasaki

On August 9, 1945, sixteen-year-old postman Sumiteru Taniguchi was delivering mail when the atomic bomb exploded over Nagasaki. Against all odds, he survived and became a leading voice for the Hibakushas (atomic bomb survivors), dedicating his life to peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons until his death in 2017.
The Postman of Nagasaki is a deeply personal documentary that weaves together three intertwined stories: that of Taniguchi; Peter Townsend, a Royal Air Force pilot, peace advocate, and author of the book The Postman of Nagasaki; and his daughter Isabelle, who embarks on a journey of discovery decades after her father’s death.
When Isabelle finds voice recordings from her father’s final trip to Japan, she recalls the book that first moved her as a young woman. Traveling to Nagasaki with these recordings in hand, she retraces his footsteps – guided by his voice and Taniguchi’s testimony. As she uncovers the profound lessons their shared mission holds for her own life, Isabelle comes to see how one survivor's courage and one writer's compassion elevated a single testimony into a timeless call for peace.

The Best in the World

The Best in the World follows Mouctar, a Guinean migrant navigating a new life in Paris. He enrolls in a non-profit school for migrants in Paris, where he meets Marion, an American social worker who runs an after-school theater workshop, which he eagerly joins. During interviews for the thesis Marion is writing, theater workshops, and immigration procedures, Mouctar tells a tragic tale of why he left his home. But the struggles he encounters as a migrant in Paris trigger nightmares that hint at a far darker truth.

During a theater workshop, Mouctar is forced to confront his heartbreaking past. When he finally shares his truth, Mouctar forms a bond with Marion that helps him begin to heal from his nightmarish childhood and forgive those that hurt him.

Worse than nuking: A family's tale of survival

Worse than nuking follows Fedaa, a pediatrician and mother of three living in Gaza, as she struggles to care for children in a hospital while shielding her own family through two relentless years of war.

Climbing the Cause: A Summit of Sport and Activism

The Freissinières Multisport Gathering is a model of self-management and empowerment through sports within the FSGT. This summer meeting spot in the Haute Durance Valley in France brings together hundreds of participants every year.

This 28-minute documentary revisits the latest edition of the gathering in August 2024. It’s an opportunity to explore this annual event cherished by mountain enthusiasts, blending local struggles, outdoor sports, and activism.

Dive into the voices that drive this unique gathering!

CHAJA (She Lives)

Chaja Rywa Balck is a born Jewish woman who was baptized as a Christian during the rise of the NSDAP in Germany. While she loses her only protection and has to live in seclusion after the death of her Aryan husband, an old acquaintance reconnects her with her lost Jewish roots.

Ker

A young man tasked with guarding a mosque is forced to secretly shelter his lover inside the sacred place for several days. Their hidden presence pushes them across multiple red lines — from the risk of being discovered by religious authorities to the intimate realities of love and the human body. Any revelation could destroy his life and turn their fragile refuge into a catastrophe.

Winds of Change

"Winds of Change" follows the inspiring journey of Olympian and IOC Young Leader Sophia Papamichalopoulos from Cyprus as she embarks on a bold mission: sailing around the divided island of Cyprus with a team of young Cypriots from both sides. For nearly fifty years, such a journey has been impossible due to the island's complex political landscape. With a vision to bring young people together through sport and the Olympic Values, Sophia puts together a team of young Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots to take on this historic challenge together. Her initiative aims to challenge, empower and inspire young people through the power of sport.

A Doctor of Three Wars

A Doctor of Three Wars / Turkish Charlie – Plevne of Ryan
Once upon a time a doctor, Dr. Charles Ryan who was a military soldier and who never took off his Plevne War medal from his chest, shows up as medical consultant against Ottoman for which he had served for years and Turkish Soldiers whom he respectfully remembered just to fulfill the duty which was given as a soldier. Undoubtedly, Ryan as soldier on both sides will be one of the heroes that show the seed of the friendship that bloomed at the war zone.

Amatilla

Three years have passed since Amatilla's death, yet her presence lingers in fragments of memory and silence. A Yemenite grandson journals, not to resolve grief, but to inhabit it, to write as though each line from the past and present might return buried feelings. Amatilla unfolds as a quiet dialogue across absence, where the act of remembering becomes love and connection with the self again. Directed by Adham Garman, the experimental film carries the intimacy of a diary and the distance of exile, a meditation on loss, migration, and the traces of love and hope that remain after loss.

My Husband the Child Soldier

In Cambodia, former Khmer Rouge child soldier Aki Ra and his wife Hout help communities reclaim their land by undertaking the potentially lethal task of clearing unexploded landmines left over from years of war. Along the way they adopt unwanted kids whose childhoods and limbs have been destroyed by treading on landmines, and open a war museum that soon becomes world famous. Aki Ra fights to break free of shadows cast by his role in the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, and rebuild his shattered family. But in a country grappling to come to terms with its history, the past always has a way of catching up.

THE ETHNIC ORIGINS OF BEAUTY : Episode 1

"THE ETHNIC ORIGINS OF BEAUTY : Episode 1" is a pilot of the documentary cycle about ethnic diversity of humanity through the beauty of women of peoples around the world.

In each episode, five girls, representing five different ethnic groups, united by one language environment, talk about understanding of their ethnic identity, the manifestations of ethnic roots in their lives, about traditions, and share things that make them proud or sad about their people.

The first episode offers the opportunity for the viewer to get acquainted with the diversity of peoples of the Russian-speaking linguistic area, to enjoy the beauty of faces, nature, traditional music, costumes and other cultural manifestations through portraits and revelations of Khakas, Karelian, Crimean Tatar, Russian and Karachay women.

The Peace That Was Before

Free Ride Beyond Borders follows two freeriders—Mykhailo from Ukraine and Alex from Russia—who meet in the French-Italian Alps to share their passion for skiing in a landscape that transcends borders. Through powerful visuals, voiceover, and intimate storytelling, the film explores themes of identity, trauma, unity, and healing. As they carve their way through snow-covered peaks, echoes of war, fear, and hope emerge—yet the mountain offers a space for silence, challenge, and connection beyond nationality or conflict.

Chanting of the Dunes

Chanting of the Dunes has so far won over 40 awards and 20 nominations!
The film takes viewers on a dazzling journey through multiple countries and during momentous world events that extend from the Levant in the 1920s to the U.S. and China in the 1990s.
Chanting of the Dunes recounts the life of Wahbi Al-Hariri-Rifai who was an accomplished international artist, architect, archeologist, and author. It is told through the mixed perspective of his wife, Widad Marachi, who married him at the age of 15. The fascinating storyline is full of unexpected turns and is accompanied by a superb award-winning soundtrack.
The film is beautifully illustrated through hundreds of meticulously restored black/white and color archival photographs and original footage.
According to festival managers, the film exceeds all expectations and represents a new cinematographic genre between narrative feature and documentary. Many have called it “extraordinary, moving, mesmerizing, full of messages...”

THE COW

War. In a recently captured village, an officer takes up residence in an abandoned house. Next to the house stands the former owner's cow, left behind.
While the new resident indulges in the appropriated belongings, the cow becomes a witness to his actions.

8 seconds

In 2005, when filmmaker Jean-Marie Vinclair filmed the unveiling of the ‘Raymond Vinclair’ plaque in the square that will bear his name, he was stunned: why was this relative, who died as a martyr in Germany during the Second World War, unknown to his own family? A few years later, when the filmmaker is married to a German woman and the father of two boys, the spectre of Raymond haunted him and the enigma remained. Parents and children embark on a quest to find the thread of this lost memory.