14th Chennai International Documentary and Short Film Festival 2026 : 21-28 February, Chennai
Organised by MARPAKKAM 30
Category – International Documentary
V’è la via e v’è l’andare - There's the way and then there's the going
Dir: Elia Romanelli, Antonio Pintus; 40:00 min; Documentary; Italy
This documentary, almost in the form of a tale or a fable, tells the story of one of the strangest instruments in the world — a unique specimen, owned by its inventor, Sergio Fedele. Fourteen years of work led him to create the lowest-pitched wind instrument in existence: the Ecatorf.
The documentary recounts the story of this invention and its inventor, while also following the intertwined adventures of a horse and a knight — fictional characters who move through an ancient yet strikingly modern, macaronic language, a blend of Venetian dialect, Latin, Spanish, and neologisms. The narrative also unfolds through the sounds of the Ecatorf and the countless objects, or fragments of objects, that Sergio transforms into transitional instruments in his deeply personal exploration of sound.
The Be-All and End-All
Dir: Yun Zhu; 90 min; Documentary; China
(Withdrawn)
The 100-year-old translator Xu Yuanchong was considered the first Chinese translator ever with the capacity of translating between 3 languages: Chinese, English, and French. Xu has dedicated his whole life to connecting between different cultures and beauty through languages. After his retirement, Xu still lives a busy and active life, working until midnight, swimming until he’s 90, cycling around until he’s 97, and started to translate The Complete Works of William Shakespeare at the age of 94 and at a speed of 1000 words a day. However, an unexpected fall in a moon night has kicked off a series of accidents in his life...
The Gold Panner from Lannavaara
Dir: Mattias Löw; 95 min; Documentary; Ghana, Namibia, Sweden
From his frozen birthplace above the Arctic Circle, Hans “Hasse” Söderström emerges as a man possessed by an impossible vision: to prove that ethical gold mining can survive—and thrive—in one of the world’s most corrupt industries.
This is the story of a man who bets everything—his fortune, his family, his sanity—on an idea. Whether Söderström emerges as a visionary who transforms an industry, or as another broken dreamer buried in African soil, remains the question that haunts every frame of his extraordinary, tragic, and relentlessly compelling journey.
And the Fish Fly above Our Heads
Dir: Dima Adib El-Horr; 70 min; Documentary; Lebanon
Twenty years ago, I came to a public beach in Beirut to film, a woman observing a world of men. Among them was Réda, his body gleaming in the sun. I started filming him and others. Two decades later, I return to the same spot. To my astonishment, Réda is still there, as if time itself had not moved, only his face marked by wrinkles, his body by age. I begin filming him again, and his two friends, Qassem and Adel. By the sea, I film three men adrift, three aging and fatigued bodies, silent witnesses to a country collapsing under the weight of wars, social despair, and economic crisis.Expecting no miracle, they wait by the sea with the same quiet fatalism that shapes their lives. Their waiting becomes mine, in a space suspended between sleep and wakefulness, between dreams and reality, between past and present.
In Good Hands
Dir: Naomi Okabe; 45:00 min; Documentary; Canada
In Good Hands is a prismatic investigation of gender roles, care, and the meaning of good work. The film features six people who have challenged gender stereotypes to find meaningful work, including a carpenter-turned-beekeeper, a stay-at-home dad, a highland cattle breeder, a flower farmer, an auto body technician, and an early childhood educator. Following them through their work day, the film explores the tenuous balancing act between self-satisfaction through career, nurturing others, and contribution to the greater good.
Analogue Natives
Dir: Bernd Lützeler; 25:33 min; Documentary; Germany, India
An expanded multi-genre documentary within the constraints of the so-called Masala Formula, popularly known from Indian cinema.
On Melting Snow
Dir: Mojtaba Bahadori; 1:13:00 min; Documentary; Belgium, Iceland
Each landscape reflects a memory of our planet, memories that have been cruelly divided by time and man-made political borders. For the past 33 years, Sophie Cauvin has been on a journey to engage with these transformed landscapes, collecting and reuniting these fragmented memories, and immortalizing them in her astonishing art creations.
How To Get On With Everybody
Dir: Elin Moe, Winstan Whitter; 59:40 min; Documentary; United Kingdom
How To Get On With Everybody offers an intimate portrait of Rabbi Herschel Gluck, an extraordinary figure whose life’s mission unfolds at the intersection of compassion, conflict, and community. The film follows him as he works to reconcile diverse groups and confront some of the most pressing social challenges of our time.
Rationally Enraged
Dir: Franziska Brozio; 1:27:00 min; Documentary; Germany
How radical must you be to be heard – and how can understanding emerge amidst deep division? A climate activist, an anti-poverty advocate, and a media critic: three voices pushing for change, each fueled by frustration. The filmmaker doesn’t remain on the sidelines – she becomes part of the process, exploring how dialogue is possible even when worldviews collide.
Even So (Phir Bhi)
Dir: Meghna Nandy; 16:02 min; Documentary; United Kingdom
In India, a country in the throes of a human-wildlife conflict crisis, a unique anomaly exists in the villages of the Charotar region of Gujarat. Here, people live in harmony with India’s largest freshwater predator - marsh crocodiles, or muggers. Charotar has had less than 10 attacks in the last 10 years even with growing populationsof both humans and muggers. But it’s a little more complicated than just tolerance.
Maestro’s hands
Dir: Aleksey Barykin; 26:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
He has amazing hands. With the most delicate gestures he directs a symphony orchestra. He worked with great people: Maya Plisetskaya, Rodion Shchedrin, Mstislav Rostropovich. He conducted at the Bolshoi Theater, the Bavarian Ballet, the Royal Swedish Opera. One of the best conductors in the world, Renat Salavatov shares the secrets of his mastery.
Amad's Dream
Dir: Aashish Kiphayet; 9:30 min; Documentary; United States
Amad Mahbub is a Bangladeshi woman who left Bangladesh to escape social oppression and pursue education in neuroscience in the United States. The documentary tells the story of her resilience and transformation, as well as her connection to Henna and Kathak dance, spirituality, and activism. Through henna art, she navigates her Bangladeshi identity and resists women's oppression. Most importantly, we will see how her journey transforms her into an artist and uses henna art to stand with her homeland while she is in exile, especially in the time of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The film illustrates how the US diaspora contributed to the July uprising in Bangladesh last year.
Báaxpee: This Ground
Dir: Robin Starbuck; 29:42 min; Documentary; United States
Báaxpee: This Ground, is a lyrical and intimate documentary that traces the life and spiritual legacy of Ben Cloud, revered medicine chief of the Crow/Apsaalooke Nation and central figure in the sacred Sun Dance tradition. Far more than a portrait, the film becomes a living archive — a ceremonial act in itself — offering rare access to the inner world of the Apsáalooke as they carry ancient ritual into the twenty-first century. Merging personal memory with cultural transmission, Báaxpee: This Ground departs from conventional documentary form, embodying the quiet power and profound mystery of a spiritual practice rooted in land, lineage, and the unseen. Available with Spanish, German or Italian subtitles.
Bajau Laut - the Sea is our Home
Dir: Joo Peter; 1:10:00 min; Documentary; Malaysia
Their stilt houses are burnt down, their boats destroyed: indigenous people like the sea nomads in Malaysia are denied citizenship and passports as they are disenfranchised as stateless people. But centuries of history and the graves of their ancestors on the Malaysian islands are proof of their roots.
Puzzleak, The Rape Palace
Dir: Kote Camacho, Anonymous; 15:00 min; Documentary; Spain
Upon discovering nude photos of her as a child on the internet, Ane remembers moments she had erased from her mind. She was also video-taped, secretly like many other, during the sessions by a protected famous photographer from San Sebastián.
Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution
Dir: Bill Haney; 1:38:00 min; Documentary; United States
Cracking the Code, narrated by Mark Ruffalo, is an inspiring story of vision, perseverance, and the power of science to change the world. Phil Sharp’s journey from a Kentucky farm boy to Nobel laureate embodies the American Dream and the triumph of entrepreneurial spirit. His 1977 groundbreaking discovery of RNA splicing rewrote the rules of molecular biology and ignited a life-saving scientific revolution, laying the foundation for an industry that has become a cornerstone of global innovation and economic growth – and transformed the health of billions of patients worldwide.
LUPI NOSTRI (Our Wolves)
Dir: Samer Angelone; 1:22:00 min; Documentary; Italy
Professor Luca Rossi dedicates what remains of his university career to study wolves, but his findings conflict with his emotions as he navigates the contentious divide between wolf defenders and opponents. As Luca tries to be as close as possible to the wolves to understand them, he finds himself facing the sentiments of those who fear and love them.
Dog Meat
Dir: Mel Andre; 39:00 min; Documentary; United States
This powerful documentary explores the heart-wrenching world of the dog meat industry, with a focus on the rising issue of pet dog kidnappings. Despite superstitions and myths that have perpetuated this practice, there is a growing movement dedicated to bringing about change. In "Dog Meat: Saving Our Best Friend," we meet courageous individuals, grassroots organizations, and nonprofits working tirelessly to end the practice of consuming dog meat in Southeast Asia. This compelling documentary takes viewers on a journey through the heartbreaking and often controversial world of the dog meat industry. The film explores the multifaceted issues surrounding the trade, from its historical roots to the modern-day challenges faced by those fighting to end it.
8 seconds
Dir: Jean-Marie Vinclair; 1:18:56 min; Documentary; France
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.
UN MARE DI PORTI LONTANI
Dir: Marco Daffra; 54:00 min; Documentary; Italy
A tribute of truth to those who reach out to the shipwrecked in the Mediterranean is the powerful film by Florentine director Marco Daffra that “disproves the clichés about humanitarian ships” (Avvenire). The film presents the testimonies of captains, sailors, doctors, nurses, engineers, interpreters and cultural mediators, as well as those of Dr. Pietro Bartolo, “the doctor of Lampedusa” who visited 350,000 people who disembarked in 30 years, and of Father Bernardo Gianni, Abbot of San Miniato a Monte.
I Am Alex
Dir: David Gough; 43:43 min; Documentary; South Africa, United Kingdom
“I Am Alex” follows journalist David as he returns to South Africa’s Alexandra township to explore the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS. Through the stories of activists Lebo and Charles, who lead grassroots efforts to fight stigma and support treatment, the film reveals how love, compassion, and community are essential in healing. Amid poverty, addiction, and inequality, the documentary highlights the human faces behind the epidemic and the power of connection in creating change. A powerful reminder that the fight against HIV is not just medical, but deeply personal and societal.
The Deeper
Dir: Saw; 15:12 min; Documentary; Myanmar
At The Bottom Of The Reen
Dir: Molly Kiely; 16:40 min; Documentary; Ireland
At The Bottom of the Reen is a documentary set in Glengoole, County Tipperary, centred on Buddy’s Pub - a community cornerstone for over ninety years. Through Sinéad, it’s third generation owner, the film explores the struggle to keep the pub - and by extension the community - on life support. Once a bustling mining village, Glengoole now faces an uncertain future, but the ailing community is anchored by Buddy’s renowned monthly traditional music session. The documentary delves into themes of resilience, memory, and the balance between preserving heritage and embracing change in a rapidly evolving world.
Chronicle of Crime in Modrići
Dir: Luka Klapan; 26:29 min; Documentary; Croatia
On January 26, 1993, in the whirlwind of war that hit Croatia, in hamlet Modrići in Zaton Obrovački, enemy soldiers committed a war crime. On that occasion, six civilians were liquidated. Today, as time is passing by, in the place that is struggling to recover from the consequences of war, we had talked to several locals.
GUERRILLA
Dir: Joan Gamero; 1:31:22 min; Documentary; Spain
Francisco Martínez, "El Quico", is one of the last surviving anti-Franco guerrillas. Now a centenarian, he recounts his firsthand experiences of daily resistance in rural León and Galicia against the fascist dictatorship in Spain between 1936 and 1952. Epic tales and sobering truths, paired with stark, evocative images of the real locations, come together to form a powerful and moving portrait of a guerrilla’s life.
Flotacija
Dir: Eluned Zoe Aiano, Alesandra Tatić; 1:17:00 min; Documentary; Serbia
In Eastern Serbia, in a town with a dual identity divided between magic and industry, a family whose destiny is extrinsically linked with both does their best to ensure the survival of their traditions and their future generations. Lifelong miner Dragan Markovic is the last in a line of dragon hunters, while his sister Desa is the widow of the union leader who is trying to continue his legacy by fighting for the rights of fellow mine-worker families.
Gingerbread for her dad
Dir: Alina Mustafina; 1:16:30 min; Documentary; Kazakhstan
85-year-old Lyabiba doesn’t remember her father, who died in World War II. At that time, along with the death notice, some Soviet soldiers’ widows were given 'consolation' gingerbread cookies for their children. The only memory Lyabiba has of her father is the time she joyfully shouted to the entire village during the years of hunger: 'My dad died, and we got gingerbread cookies!'
Art. 27, comma 3
Dir: Giovanni Meola; 1:33:57 min; Documentary; Italy
As the result of a creative writing and acting workshop, this documentary, set entirely in prison, tells of a handful of human beings forced to work in captivity, but made totally free by the magic of meeting and mutual discovery. A freedom that has created closeness and community but also clashes and misunderstandings. And this video diary witnesses to all this, without omitting nothing of what happened during the many long months of the process, including a tragic event that occurred to one of them, which inevitably caused the course of the project itself to deviate. Project born from the awareness of the existence of Article 27, paragraph 3 of the Italian Constitution which states 'Punishments cannot consist of treatments contrary to the sense of humanity and must aim at the re-education of the convicted person'.
Cricket Dreams
Dir: Jamillah van der Hulst; 1:17:32 min; Documentary; Netherlands
Cricket Dreams is the inspiring story of nine former street-connected children from Delhi who seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in the Street Child Cricket World Cup in Chennai, India. Throughout their incredible journey, they experience things they never thought possible, discover parts of India they’ve never seen, and forge friendships with children from around the globe. Through the cricket tournament, an arts program, and a conference on child rights, they gain a platform to raise their voices, share their stories, and advocate for other street-connected children worldwide.
On A Thai Note, the Artful Journey of Somtow Sucharitkul
Dir: Stephane Lambert; 26:00 min; Documentary; Thailand
A kaleidoscopic journey into the life and art of Somtow Sucharitkul — Thailand’s true renaissance man. With a creative legacy spanning over 50 years, Somtow’s work bridges opera, horror cinema, and speculative fiction, fusing Eastern artistic traditions with a distinctly Thai identity. This film celebrates how he brought the essence of “Thainess” to the global stage.
Mozart's Sister
Dir: Madeleine Hetherton-Miau; 1:30:00 min; Documentary; Australia
What is the lost story of 'the other Mozart'? A new feature documentary investigates a 250 year old musical mystery.
Maria-Anna Mozart was, like her younger brother, a child prodigy. Together the children toured much of Europe performing as “wunderkinder” to European royalty. As a little girl she could perform, but as a woman she retired, never to play in public again. But she did not give up. Tantalising clues exist of her continued virtuosic playing - and even her attempts to compose. Mozart’s Sister explores the fascinating theory that Maria-Anna Mozart played a larger role than previously known - and turns our gaze to unrecognised female creators of our time. Why are there still so few female composers?
Your Life Without Me
Dir: Anna Rubi; 1:12:00 min; Documentary; Hungary
Magdi, a strong-willed, but lonely caregiver faces a daunting reality as she grows older: If she were to pass away, her disabled adult son, Feri would be left to the inhumane conditions of the Hungarian state care system, and would quickly follow her. Determined to secure a future for Feri, Magdi unites with a group of mothers who are in the same situation and they take legal action against the state. “Your Life Without Me” is a story of the strength and sacrifices of these women who find their own voice through the common fight and their community.
The 100-year-old translator Xu Yuanchong was considered the first Chinese translator ever with the capacity of translating between 3 languages: Chinese, English, and French. Xu has dedicated his whole life to connecting between different cultures and beauty through languages. After his retirement, Xu still lives a busy and active life, working until midnight, swimming until he’s 90, cycling around until he’s 97, and started to translate The Complete Works of William Shakespeare at the age of 94 and at a speed of 1000 words a day. However, an unexpected fall in a moon night has kicked off a series of accidents in his life...
The Gold Panner from Lannavaara
Dir: Mattias Löw; 95 min; Documentary; Ghana, Namibia, Sweden
From his frozen birthplace above the Arctic Circle, Hans “Hasse” Söderström emerges as a man possessed by an impossible vision: to prove that ethical gold mining can survive—and thrive—in one of the world’s most corrupt industries.
This is the story of a man who bets everything—his fortune, his family, his sanity—on an idea. Whether Söderström emerges as a visionary who transforms an industry, or as another broken dreamer buried in African soil, remains the question that haunts every frame of his extraordinary, tragic, and relentlessly compelling journey.
And the Fish Fly above Our Heads
Dir: Dima Adib El-Horr; 70 min; Documentary; Lebanon
Twenty years ago, I came to a public beach in Beirut to film, a woman observing a world of men. Among them was Réda, his body gleaming in the sun. I started filming him and others. Two decades later, I return to the same spot. To my astonishment, Réda is still there, as if time itself had not moved, only his face marked by wrinkles, his body by age. I begin filming him again, and his two friends, Qassem and Adel. By the sea, I film three men adrift, three aging and fatigued bodies, silent witnesses to a country collapsing under the weight of wars, social despair, and economic crisis.Expecting no miracle, they wait by the sea with the same quiet fatalism that shapes their lives. Their waiting becomes mine, in a space suspended between sleep and wakefulness, between dreams and reality, between past and present.
In Good Hands
Dir: Naomi Okabe; 45:00 min; Documentary; Canada
In Good Hands is a prismatic investigation of gender roles, care, and the meaning of good work. The film features six people who have challenged gender stereotypes to find meaningful work, including a carpenter-turned-beekeeper, a stay-at-home dad, a highland cattle breeder, a flower farmer, an auto body technician, and an early childhood educator. Following them through their work day, the film explores the tenuous balancing act between self-satisfaction through career, nurturing others, and contribution to the greater good.
Analogue Natives
Dir: Bernd Lützeler; 25:33 min; Documentary; Germany, India
An expanded multi-genre documentary within the constraints of the so-called Masala Formula, popularly known from Indian cinema.
On Melting Snow
Dir: Mojtaba Bahadori; 1:13:00 min; Documentary; Belgium, Iceland
Each landscape reflects a memory of our planet, memories that have been cruelly divided by time and man-made political borders. For the past 33 years, Sophie Cauvin has been on a journey to engage with these transformed landscapes, collecting and reuniting these fragmented memories, and immortalizing them in her astonishing art creations.
How To Get On With Everybody
Dir: Elin Moe, Winstan Whitter; 59:40 min; Documentary; United Kingdom
How To Get On With Everybody offers an intimate portrait of Rabbi Herschel Gluck, an extraordinary figure whose life’s mission unfolds at the intersection of compassion, conflict, and community. The film follows him as he works to reconcile diverse groups and confront some of the most pressing social challenges of our time.
Rationally Enraged
Dir: Franziska Brozio; 1:27:00 min; Documentary; Germany
How radical must you be to be heard – and how can understanding emerge amidst deep division? A climate activist, an anti-poverty advocate, and a media critic: three voices pushing for change, each fueled by frustration. The filmmaker doesn’t remain on the sidelines – she becomes part of the process, exploring how dialogue is possible even when worldviews collide.
Even So (Phir Bhi)
Dir: Meghna Nandy; 16:02 min; Documentary; United Kingdom
In India, a country in the throes of a human-wildlife conflict crisis, a unique anomaly exists in the villages of the Charotar region of Gujarat. Here, people live in harmony with India’s largest freshwater predator - marsh crocodiles, or muggers. Charotar has had less than 10 attacks in the last 10 years even with growing populationsof both humans and muggers. But it’s a little more complicated than just tolerance.
Maestro’s hands
Dir: Aleksey Barykin; 26:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
He has amazing hands. With the most delicate gestures he directs a symphony orchestra. He worked with great people: Maya Plisetskaya, Rodion Shchedrin, Mstislav Rostropovich. He conducted at the Bolshoi Theater, the Bavarian Ballet, the Royal Swedish Opera. One of the best conductors in the world, Renat Salavatov shares the secrets of his mastery.
Amad's Dream
Dir: Aashish Kiphayet; 9:30 min; Documentary; United States
Amad Mahbub is a Bangladeshi woman who left Bangladesh to escape social oppression and pursue education in neuroscience in the United States. The documentary tells the story of her resilience and transformation, as well as her connection to Henna and Kathak dance, spirituality, and activism. Through henna art, she navigates her Bangladeshi identity and resists women's oppression. Most importantly, we will see how her journey transforms her into an artist and uses henna art to stand with her homeland while she is in exile, especially in the time of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The film illustrates how the US diaspora contributed to the July uprising in Bangladesh last year.
Báaxpee: This Ground
Dir: Robin Starbuck; 29:42 min; Documentary; United States
Báaxpee: This Ground, is a lyrical and intimate documentary that traces the life and spiritual legacy of Ben Cloud, revered medicine chief of the Crow/Apsaalooke Nation and central figure in the sacred Sun Dance tradition. Far more than a portrait, the film becomes a living archive — a ceremonial act in itself — offering rare access to the inner world of the Apsáalooke as they carry ancient ritual into the twenty-first century. Merging personal memory with cultural transmission, Báaxpee: This Ground departs from conventional documentary form, embodying the quiet power and profound mystery of a spiritual practice rooted in land, lineage, and the unseen. Available with Spanish, German or Italian subtitles.
Bajau Laut - the Sea is our Home
Dir: Joo Peter; 1:10:00 min; Documentary; Malaysia
Their stilt houses are burnt down, their boats destroyed: indigenous people like the sea nomads in Malaysia are denied citizenship and passports as they are disenfranchised as stateless people. But centuries of history and the graves of their ancestors on the Malaysian islands are proof of their roots.
Puzzleak, The Rape Palace
Dir: Kote Camacho, Anonymous; 15:00 min; Documentary; Spain
Upon discovering nude photos of her as a child on the internet, Ane remembers moments she had erased from her mind. She was also video-taped, secretly like many other, during the sessions by a protected famous photographer from San Sebastián.
Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution
Dir: Bill Haney; 1:38:00 min; Documentary; United States
Cracking the Code, narrated by Mark Ruffalo, is an inspiring story of vision, perseverance, and the power of science to change the world. Phil Sharp’s journey from a Kentucky farm boy to Nobel laureate embodies the American Dream and the triumph of entrepreneurial spirit. His 1977 groundbreaking discovery of RNA splicing rewrote the rules of molecular biology and ignited a life-saving scientific revolution, laying the foundation for an industry that has become a cornerstone of global innovation and economic growth – and transformed the health of billions of patients worldwide.
LUPI NOSTRI (Our Wolves)
Dir: Samer Angelone; 1:22:00 min; Documentary; Italy
Professor Luca Rossi dedicates what remains of his university career to study wolves, but his findings conflict with his emotions as he navigates the contentious divide between wolf defenders and opponents. As Luca tries to be as close as possible to the wolves to understand them, he finds himself facing the sentiments of those who fear and love them.
Dog Meat
Dir: Mel Andre; 39:00 min; Documentary; United States
This powerful documentary explores the heart-wrenching world of the dog meat industry, with a focus on the rising issue of pet dog kidnappings. Despite superstitions and myths that have perpetuated this practice, there is a growing movement dedicated to bringing about change. In "Dog Meat: Saving Our Best Friend," we meet courageous individuals, grassroots organizations, and nonprofits working tirelessly to end the practice of consuming dog meat in Southeast Asia. This compelling documentary takes viewers on a journey through the heartbreaking and often controversial world of the dog meat industry. The film explores the multifaceted issues surrounding the trade, from its historical roots to the modern-day challenges faced by those fighting to end it.
8 seconds
Dir: Jean-Marie Vinclair; 1:18:56 min; Documentary; France
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.
UN MARE DI PORTI LONTANI
Dir: Marco Daffra; 54:00 min; Documentary; Italy
A tribute of truth to those who reach out to the shipwrecked in the Mediterranean is the powerful film by Florentine director Marco Daffra that “disproves the clichés about humanitarian ships” (Avvenire). The film presents the testimonies of captains, sailors, doctors, nurses, engineers, interpreters and cultural mediators, as well as those of Dr. Pietro Bartolo, “the doctor of Lampedusa” who visited 350,000 people who disembarked in 30 years, and of Father Bernardo Gianni, Abbot of San Miniato a Monte.
I Am Alex
Dir: David Gough; 43:43 min; Documentary; South Africa, United Kingdom
“I Am Alex” follows journalist David as he returns to South Africa’s Alexandra township to explore the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS. Through the stories of activists Lebo and Charles, who lead grassroots efforts to fight stigma and support treatment, the film reveals how love, compassion, and community are essential in healing. Amid poverty, addiction, and inequality, the documentary highlights the human faces behind the epidemic and the power of connection in creating change. A powerful reminder that the fight against HIV is not just medical, but deeply personal and societal.
The Deeper
Dir: Saw; 15:12 min; Documentary; Myanmar
At The Bottom Of The Reen
Dir: Molly Kiely; 16:40 min; Documentary; Ireland
At The Bottom of the Reen is a documentary set in Glengoole, County Tipperary, centred on Buddy’s Pub - a community cornerstone for over ninety years. Through Sinéad, it’s third generation owner, the film explores the struggle to keep the pub - and by extension the community - on life support. Once a bustling mining village, Glengoole now faces an uncertain future, but the ailing community is anchored by Buddy’s renowned monthly traditional music session. The documentary delves into themes of resilience, memory, and the balance between preserving heritage and embracing change in a rapidly evolving world.
Chronicle of Crime in Modrići
Dir: Luka Klapan; 26:29 min; Documentary; Croatia
On January 26, 1993, in the whirlwind of war that hit Croatia, in hamlet Modrići in Zaton Obrovački, enemy soldiers committed a war crime. On that occasion, six civilians were liquidated. Today, as time is passing by, in the place that is struggling to recover from the consequences of war, we had talked to several locals.
GUERRILLA
Dir: Joan Gamero; 1:31:22 min; Documentary; Spain
Francisco Martínez, "El Quico", is one of the last surviving anti-Franco guerrillas. Now a centenarian, he recounts his firsthand experiences of daily resistance in rural León and Galicia against the fascist dictatorship in Spain between 1936 and 1952. Epic tales and sobering truths, paired with stark, evocative images of the real locations, come together to form a powerful and moving portrait of a guerrilla’s life.
Flotacija
Dir: Eluned Zoe Aiano, Alesandra Tatić; 1:17:00 min; Documentary; Serbia
In Eastern Serbia, in a town with a dual identity divided between magic and industry, a family whose destiny is extrinsically linked with both does their best to ensure the survival of their traditions and their future generations. Lifelong miner Dragan Markovic is the last in a line of dragon hunters, while his sister Desa is the widow of the union leader who is trying to continue his legacy by fighting for the rights of fellow mine-worker families.
Gingerbread for her dad
Dir: Alina Mustafina; 1:16:30 min; Documentary; Kazakhstan
85-year-old Lyabiba doesn’t remember her father, who died in World War II. At that time, along with the death notice, some Soviet soldiers’ widows were given 'consolation' gingerbread cookies for their children. The only memory Lyabiba has of her father is the time she joyfully shouted to the entire village during the years of hunger: 'My dad died, and we got gingerbread cookies!'
Art. 27, comma 3
Dir: Giovanni Meola; 1:33:57 min; Documentary; Italy
As the result of a creative writing and acting workshop, this documentary, set entirely in prison, tells of a handful of human beings forced to work in captivity, but made totally free by the magic of meeting and mutual discovery. A freedom that has created closeness and community but also clashes and misunderstandings. And this video diary witnesses to all this, without omitting nothing of what happened during the many long months of the process, including a tragic event that occurred to one of them, which inevitably caused the course of the project itself to deviate. Project born from the awareness of the existence of Article 27, paragraph 3 of the Italian Constitution which states 'Punishments cannot consist of treatments contrary to the sense of humanity and must aim at the re-education of the convicted person'.
Cricket Dreams
Dir: Jamillah van der Hulst; 1:17:32 min; Documentary; Netherlands
Cricket Dreams is the inspiring story of nine former street-connected children from Delhi who seize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in the Street Child Cricket World Cup in Chennai, India. Throughout their incredible journey, they experience things they never thought possible, discover parts of India they’ve never seen, and forge friendships with children from around the globe. Through the cricket tournament, an arts program, and a conference on child rights, they gain a platform to raise their voices, share their stories, and advocate for other street-connected children worldwide.
On A Thai Note, the Artful Journey of Somtow Sucharitkul
Dir: Stephane Lambert; 26:00 min; Documentary; Thailand
A kaleidoscopic journey into the life and art of Somtow Sucharitkul — Thailand’s true renaissance man. With a creative legacy spanning over 50 years, Somtow’s work bridges opera, horror cinema, and speculative fiction, fusing Eastern artistic traditions with a distinctly Thai identity. This film celebrates how he brought the essence of “Thainess” to the global stage.
Mozart's Sister
Dir: Madeleine Hetherton-Miau; 1:30:00 min; Documentary; Australia
What is the lost story of 'the other Mozart'? A new feature documentary investigates a 250 year old musical mystery.
Maria-Anna Mozart was, like her younger brother, a child prodigy. Together the children toured much of Europe performing as “wunderkinder” to European royalty. As a little girl she could perform, but as a woman she retired, never to play in public again. But she did not give up. Tantalising clues exist of her continued virtuosic playing - and even her attempts to compose. Mozart’s Sister explores the fascinating theory that Maria-Anna Mozart played a larger role than previously known - and turns our gaze to unrecognised female creators of our time. Why are there still so few female composers?
Your Life Without Me
Dir: Anna Rubi; 1:12:00 min; Documentary; Hungary
Magdi, a strong-willed, but lonely caregiver faces a daunting reality as she grows older: If she were to pass away, her disabled adult son, Feri would be left to the inhumane conditions of the Hungarian state care system, and would quickly follow her. Determined to secure a future for Feri, Magdi unites with a group of mothers who are in the same situation and they take legal action against the state. “Your Life Without Me” is a story of the strength and sacrifices of these women who find their own voice through the common fight and their community.
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