Films That Change the World

Traces

Documentary filmmaker Alisa Kovalenko was the first Ukrainian woman to speak publicly about her own experience of sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers in Donbas in 2014. SEMA Ukraine, of which Kovalenko is a member, works with victims of sexual and gender-based violence during the war. You can support the organisation’s activities at share-doc.org.

• Globally, survivors of sexual violence in war are supported by the Mukwege Foundation, founded by Denis Mukwege, which collaborated with the protagonists of the film Traces. The foundation can be supported on the Mukwege Foundation website.

2000 Metres to Andriivka

For thirteen years, Ukrainian soldiers have bravely fought against Russia’s colonial war in Ukraine.

• The humanitarian organisation People in Need offers many ways to help – from volunteering and educational activities to financial and material donations through the SOS Ukraine collection.

Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk and The Voice of Hind Rajab

How can you respond to the war in Gaza? You don’t have to look far – People in Need, the organisation behind the One World festival, offers the possibility of donating to the SOS Gaza fundraiser. Similar collections are run by Caritas for Gaza and Médecins Sans Frontières.

Carmela and the Walkers

The generosity of Carmela, the main character of the film, helps thousands of migrants from Venezuela – even at great personal cost. Her determined efforts can be supported through a ShareDoc fundraising campaign directly linked to the film.

State of Firsts, Love Letters, Jaripeo, Queer as Punk

In the Czech Republic, same-sex couples still cannot enter into full marriage or jointly adopt children. Since 2025 they have been able to enter into a legal partnership with most of the rights of marriage, but this still does not mean full equality before the law. In the Czech context, the organisation Fairmarriage advocates for marriage equality and can be supported financially.

Lowland Kids

The international organisation Climate Refugees raises awareness of people forced to leave their homes because of climate change. It collects data and personal stories and advocates for their protection and human rights. You can support the organisation by subscribing to its newsletter or making a financial donation.

Of Mud and Blood

Coltan, often called grey gold, is a key raw material for the global technology industry and also a source of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which exports around 80 percent of the world’s supply.

• Fairphone offers an alternative: easily repairable smartphones produced under fair working conditions and from recycled materials. The company aims to transform the consumer electronics industry towards a socially and environmentally responsible model. You can buy a conflict-free phone at fairphone.com.

Portrait of a Confused Father

“Fatherhood is a life project,” says tataweb.cz, a Czech initiative run by the League of Open Men. Founded by three psychotherapists, the organisation’s mission is to support men in personal development, responsible partnerships and parenthood.

On the League of Open Men website you can choose which of its activities to support financially or join. For example, the Patron project allows adults to become mentors to children growing up in children’s homes who lack a positive adult role model.

80 Angry Journalists

A free press is a fundamental pillar of any democratic society. Reporters Without Borders is an international NGO that defends media freedom and protects journalists from repression. You can support the organisation by subscribing to its newsletter or making a financial donation. In the Czech Republic, independent journalism is supported by the Endowment Fund for Independent Journalism.

Action Item

Nevyhasni.cz is a Czech non-profit initiative focused on preventing and raising awareness about burnout syndrome. It offers information, personal stories, online self-tests and workshops. In addition to using its services, you can also support the organisation financially on its website.

What About Petey?

Since 2003, the organisation Nautis – National Institute for Autism has worked to balance the limits of a system that too often relies on the sacrifices of others. It supports people with autism as well as their families. You can help as a volunteer, through financial or material donations, or in other ways listed on Nautis.cz.

Eyes of the Machine

The Uyghur Human Rights Project works through research and advocacy to defend the human rights of Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim communities in Xinjiang and helps victims of persecution continue their work. You can support the organisation financially, or get involved through Amnesty International or Anti-Slavery International, which also address these issues.

Slave Island

Human trafficking may be more present than you think. According to reporting by Seznam Zprávy, the number of criminal cases related to human trafficking in the Czech Republic has ranged roughly between 13 and 24 cases per year in recent years.

Anti-Slavery.org is the oldest organisation dedicated to combating modern slavery. It works through research, advocacy, campaigns and support for victims worldwide. You can contribute financially, become a member, access educational materials or organise your own campaign.

The Woman Who Poked The Leopard

Support poet, feminist and politician Stella Nyanzi in her continued resistance against Yoweri Museveni, the long-time president of Uganda. Museveni has been criticised by Nyanzi and international human rights organisations for suppressing political opposition, restricting media freedom and committing human rights violations during his rule. In this struggle, poetry – and the exposed female body – become tools of resistance. On the film’s website you can donate or sign up for the School of Radical Rudeness.

The Encampments

A new wave of student protests began in spring 2024 in the United States, from where campus occupations and demonstrations quickly spread to other American and European universities. Students are calling for universities and governments to end cooperation with institutions connected to Israel. Humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip, one of the world’s most severe current humanitarian crises, is also being provided by People in Need through its SOS Gaza fundraiser.

Identity

During the Argentine military dictatorship in the 1970s, hundreds of children were kidnapped. Pregnant prisoners were held in secret detention centres, where their children were often taken away after birth and given to families linked to the regime. As adults, these children are now searching for their true identities.

The protagonists of Identity are supported in finding their biological families by the genetic database of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, whose important work can be supported financially on Abuelas.org.