Budějovice at the epicentre of human rights: One World brings Šimon Pánek and film heroines

Each year, One World brings both global and domestic issues to audiences through personal stories of the struggle for human rights. Between 16 March and 24 April 2026, One World will take place in České Budějovice, Český Krumlov, Tábor, Strakonice, Vodňany, Netolice, and newly this year also in Týn nad Vltavou and Prachatice. The festival is also held in 52 other towns across the Czech Republic, and over the past three years its tradition in South Bohemia has expanded to four new locations.

What can you look forward to?

The festival will open on 7 April with the film Eyes of the Machine – a chilling testimony of a woman who escaped Chinese oppression and recounts her experience with Uyghur internment camps and the constant surveillance of the regime. The opening will also feature a speech by Šimon Pánek, followed by an evening debate with sinologist Ondřej Klimeš.

Cutting Through Rocks tells the story of Sára, a courageous advocate fighting for the rights of women and children as the first female representative in an Iranian village. A powerful experience will also be the Oscar-nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which follows the rescue of a six-year-old girl trapped under fire in Gaza, intensified by real emergency call recordings. From the same region comes Coexistence, My Ass!, in which comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi challenges prejudice through humour that transcends the limits of tradition and history.

This year’s programme also offers personal stories of many other female protagonists. The documentary Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore follows the journey of deaf actress Marlee Matlin as she fought for her place in Hollywood, ultimately winning an Academy Award. The film State of Firsts introduces Sarah McBride, who, as an openly transgender politician, withstood a demanding campaign for a seat in the US Congress.

The festival brings to České Budějovice stories from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, Belarus, and North Macedonia. You should not miss White Gold: Elon Musk and the Race for Argentina's Lithium, which explains the cost of lithium mining –paid especially by people in developing countries – or Life After, which raises the question of whether assisted suicide is a free choice or evidence of systemic failure. From an environmental perspective, the Czech documentary Resilience connects the efforts of ornithologist Klára and conservationist Pavel with a strong audiovisual experience.

The festival offers a number of screenings with accessibility features such as descriptive subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as audio description. A new feature this year is the option to purchase tickets in advance via the CBSystem platform.