Full-length documentary
9-Month Contract
Surrogacy in Georgia exists in a legal gray zone, yet for young single mother Zhana, it seems like the only way to provide herself and her daughter Elena with a dignified life, education, and a future.
Among Generations
At a time when the world is changing far more rapidly than ever before, generations perceive reality in strikingly different ways. What once unfolded over twenty-five-year cycles now comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Building mutual understanding in this fast-paced world is especially challenging, as each emerging generation shapes its own political, technological, and social landscape—and develops unique ways of forming relationships and identities. Yet society’s fragmentation need not be permanent; fostering dialogue often begins simply by listening to what each generation cares about and believes in.
The sharp rise in both mental and physical illnesses among young people has become a society-wide concern. A Norwegian medical team explores the underlying causes of symptoms that medicine has yet to diagnose in Teenage Life Interrupted. The story of Georgian single mother Zhanna challenges the idea of parenthood as a project designed to give the next generation an ideal start in life. In her struggle to earn enough money, she repeatedly offers her body for surrogacy. Each new 9-Month Contract, however, takes a toll not only on her health but also on her relationship with her daughter.
For three young men in the Balkans, the iconic bobsled track in Sarajevo becomes a way of confronting uncertainty about the future. The Track’s former Olympic glory may have long been covered in graffiti, but its hollowed beauty still holds a certain magic. In an environment marked by absent authority and inherited trauma, the protagonist of the feature film Manas also struggles to find her own path. The striking black-and-white documentary To the West, in Zapata reminds us that an uncertain future is not a challenge faced by the young alone. A Cuban couple, worn down by life, survives by hunting crocodiles—creatures who, like the central pair and the entire “island of freedom,” are critically endangered.
Films in section Among Generations
Feature film
Father
A single moment alters the course of the protagonist’s life. The film follows the consequences of a fatal mistake and asks whether one can continue living after another life has ended.
Feature film
Manas
Thirteen-year-old Marcielle is growing up in the seemingly idyllic environment of the Amazon rainforest. But as she enters adolescence, she becomes trapped in a vicious cycle of violence tolerated by her community, a cycle she’s determined to escape from.
Full-length documentary
My Father and Qaddafi
When Jihan was six years old, her father, Mansur Rashid Kikhia, flew to Cairo and never returned. The film portrays politics as a deeply personal experience that can affect even the most intimate family ties.
Unknown
Teenage Life Interrupted
No known diagnosis can explain what’s happening to this group of Norwegian girls. Numbness in the limbs and fainting while fully conscious are just some of the symptoms of an illness that has disrupted their adolescence and demands urgent attention.
Full-length documentary
The Track
A coming-of-age documentary from Bosnia and Herzegovina about three young boys chasing their Olympic dreams and a chance at a better life.
Full-length documentary
To the West, in Zapata
Deep in the wild Cuban wetlands, Lando seeks a living for his family. With the confidence of a seasoned hunter, he embarks on risky multi-day expeditions to hunt crocodiles.
Full-length documentary
Welded Together
The gray social reality of today’s Belarus shines against the archetypal story of adolescence and the search for independence. Can a young welder piece together the dark fragments of her past and her fractured family?
Feature film
Yen and Ai-Lee
Eight years after a desperate act to save her mother, Yen is released from prison and returns home to see her. She discovers that her home is no longer the place she once knew. Yet, while time has relentlessly moved on, the most painful things remain unchanged.
Other Programme Sections
Competition section
International Competition
Refined cinematic explorations of challenging human-rights themes—this, in essence, is the vision behind the International Competition. The selection features films that have recently captivated audiences at the world’s leading festivals, showcasing—and often expanding—the possibilities of audiovisual storytelling in documentary cinema.
Competition section
Right to Know
Ten films in the Right to Know section offer an insider’s view of the lesser-known corners of global affairs, told through the stories of people who have dared to defy regimes, traditions, or the everyday absurdities of power. Whether their David-and-Goliath struggles unfold at a prestigious American university, in autocratic Russia, or under decades-long Ugandan dictatorship, these stories inspire courage and empathy.
Competition section
Czech Competition
The competition highlighting domestic documentary filmmaking in the context of human rights has long been a cornerstone of the One World Festival. This year’s selection brings together premiere screenings and films that have made an impact at Czech and international festivals, offering above all a showcase of diverse and inventive approaches to complex social issues. Audiences can look forward to ten compelling titles, presented in world, Czech, and distribution premieres.
Competition section
Virtual Reality
The competitive Virtual Reality section offers an immersive experience of both unprecedented imaginary worlds and pressing real-world themes that resonate with society: from the anti-capitalist fairytale The Sad Story of the Little Mouse Who Wanted to Become Somebody, to the captivating visual epic Revival Roadshow, which deconstructs Dutch colonialism in Australia, and finally to the delicate essay on mental health in Japan, If You See a Cat.
Thematic section
The Gunnar Myth
In his loose film series, the remarkable Norwegian filmmaker Gunnar Hall Jensen embarks on an uncompromising exploration of life’s complex questions and his own dark inner landscapes. Through brutally honest, self-revealing documentary films, he constructs a constantly evolving self-portrait, offering a raw insight into the pressing issues he and society grapple with—whether sexuality, relationships, personal crises, escape from Western society, the challenges of parenthood, or contemporary, often toxic masculinity.
Thematic section
One World for All
What defines a dignified life? Is it our abilities, or the environment that surrounds us? This year, the One World for All category presents stories that challenge conventional notions of disability, portraying it not as an individual “handicap” but as the product of systemic, communicative, and mental barriers. The selected films invite us to see the world through the eyes of those whose voices are often overlooked in debates about autonomy.
Thematic section
Climate in Need
Climate issues are increasingly intertwined with social and political questions—a trend that is clearly reflected in contemporary environmental films. These works rarely settle for merely highlighting ecological problems; instead, they embrace complexity, mirroring the multifaceted challenges society faces in the wake of climate change. Together, they confront us with a pressing task: to imagine constructive narratives that offer not only potential solutions, but above all, hope.
Thematic section
Vision of Today
Endless possibilities, a torrent of worlds, signals from the cosmos; but also accelerated consumerism, online threats, and a loneliness that kills. The Vision of Today section paints a vivid portrait of the contemporary technological landscape and its impact on our lives.
Thematic section
Against the Tide
An unconventional approach to life’s journey unites nine films about people who, despite the pressures of their time, family, or society, choose to move against the grain of accepted norms. Through intimate personal stories and wider social conflicts, these films show that crossing boundaries can be both painful and liberating, and that freedom sometimes begins the moment we dare to question what is usually considered normal.
Thematic section
Community Vortex
This section maps the intense movement of society between community and spirituality, whether it takes the form of a turn toward esotericism, new religious movements, or communities bound by tradition, faith, or shared life experiences.
Thematic section
Fault Lines
Open dialogue is the foundation of democracy. In today’s highly polarized climate, people are increasingly retreating into echo chambers, reinforcing their own truths without the willingness to explore the perspectives of others. The section Fault Lines examines the forms of today’s divided society and presents ways in which people can understand one another across diametrically opposed beliefs.
Thematic section
Everyday Courage
In a world flooded with devastating news on a daily basis, repeating the mantra “courage every day” can be what helps us get out of bed each morning. Finding the inner strength to face what we, as ordinary people, have zero control over is often a superhuman feat, even in places untouched by war or natural disasters. Nine films exploring the ways people cope with the weight of reality seek to illuminate how we can find meaning in turbulent times, when the certainties we rely on seem to be crumbling.
Thematic section
One World for Families
One World also caters to younger audiences, presenting films that share stories of children from around the world and help young viewers better understand themselves and others.