Virtual reality
Under the Same Sky
Under the same sky, a completely different world exists. This documentary film offers an intimate look into the daily reality of Gaza’s inhabitants and shows what life looks like amidst constant threat.
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.
This year’s diverse selection is dominated by themes that stimulate both the mind and, at times, the body. You certainly won’t remain still while playing the witty yet chilling game We Are Dead Animals, which tasks you with collecting dead animals in a post-apocalyptic landscape. But once you pick one up, the game confronts you with a difficult choice: will you revive the animal, eat it, or save it for later? The interactive work combines a unique research project mapping animals that have died near the author with a playful exploration of egalitarian thinking, which comes into tension with the demands of survival.
Virtual reality can also serve as an incredibly powerful medium for raw, documentary-style testimony about harsh realities. In the confined space of the film Space for Action, viewers can sense how the life experiences of domestic violence survivors are distorted. The film Under the Same Sky delivers a report on the genocide in Gaza, following a local journalist as he witnesses up close the destruction of his country and the violence inflicted on civilians.
Films in section Virtual Reality
Virtual reality
Another Place
A young trans woman awaits asylum in France, wandering the city at night in a state of unease. Will she ever return home to her cats?
Virtual reality
The Sad Story of the Little Mouse Who Wanted to Become Somebody
An animated Christmas tale about a clever little mouse driven by the pursuit of recognition and success, only to discover what is lost when genuine creativity is replaced by corporate practices and machinery.
Virtual reality
We Are Dead Animals
Have you ever wondered what a fox with a pigeon’s head might look like? This VR game lets you play with dead animals. You can revive them, splice them together, or even eat them to save yourself from death.
Virtual reality
If You See a Cat
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the world through a cat’s eyes? This immersive virtual reality film offers a way to look at things from an unusual perspective.
Virtual reality
8 Billion Selves
Is it possible to attain uniqueness among eight billion others? 8 Billion Selves is a flowing, dreamlike journey through a world where people “are born, work, wage war, love, dance, create art, and die”.
Virtual reality
Revival Roadshow
This provocative comedy takes aim at consumerism, colonial fantasies, and the dangerous belief that charismatic leaders can save us from catastrophe.
Virtual reality
Space for Action
Violence alternates with love bombing, a seemingly endless cycle of abuse that many women are forced to endure. Inspired by real-life stories, this film gives survivors the space to express their experiences and emotions.
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.
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
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.
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.