Parental struggles take many forms

One of the enduring themes of the One World festival will always be the most fundamental human interaction: parenthood. No matter where in the world it takes place, and regardless of how extreme the conditions may be. And who understands extremity better than elite athlete Mariann Sæther? In the film I Follow Rivers by director Barbora Hollan, the well-known Norwegian kayaker attempts to balance her physically and socially demanding career with building a healthy home environment for her two children. The athlete decided not to compromise on either of the pillars of her life. Now in her forties, she still descends deadly waterfalls, while also spending time with her kids. The fragility of life painfully intersects with the imposing beauty and irresistible allure of the sport.

Lando, in the wild Cuban wetlands, faces difficulties of a less voluntary kind as he tries to provide for his family. With the confidence of an experienced hunter, he embarks on risky multi-day expeditions to hunt crocodiles. But Cuba is also shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, making the shortage of food even more pressing. The Spanish-Cuban film To the West, in Zapata by director David Beltrán i Marí immediately captivates with its intense black-and-white audiovisual style and its sense for highlighting every emotion of a life in which the flow of everyday existence depends on avoiding even the smallest mistake.

The protagonist of the sensitive Spanish fiction drama Deaf refuses to dwell on overcoming obstacles. In her feature debut, filmmaker Eva Libertad casts her real-life sister, who herself lives with a hearing impairment. The story follows a woman who believes she has completely overcome her disability until she learns about her pregnancy and the possibility that her child will have a fifty-percent chance of living with the same limitation. This eventuality brings into sharp focus a reality that she and her partner have long learned to look away from.