The FIFDH unveils its 2025 programmation

The spotlight is on the 23rd edition of the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights. From 7th to 16th March, Geneva becomes the capital of committed cinema, where filmmakers, activists and audiences come together to discuss and defend human rights. Discover the programme now!

10 days of Festival

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Over 260 personalities and filmmakers

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114 screenings

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71 Forums, Spotlights and events

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6 Awards given in 3 sections in competition

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12 sessions dedicated to schools

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3 days of professional programme

For ten days, the 23rd edition of the FIFDH invites us to question our political systems and to stand up to the rise of extremes and the threats to our fundamental rights. Yet the Festival remains a space for gathering and hope, highlighting collective approaches that lead to action. Discover the main themes of this year’s edition.

THE RISE OF EXTREMISM: A GLOBAL THREAT TO OUR FREEDOM

From the United States to Europe, radicalised political parties have gained ground on the world stage, unified by a common rhetoric that threatens our fundamental freedoms. Several films and Forums explore this phenomenon, including The Last Republican by Steve Pink, which follows politician Adam Kinzinger, at the forefront of denouncing Donald Trump’s responsibility for the 2021 Capitol attack. Shown in its European Premiere, the film introduces the Forum Where are the United States headed? featuring author Douglas Kennedy. 

Exacerbated by social media, these shifts manifest in increasingly alarming hate speech. Two debates delve into this issue, preceded by the screenings of Hacking Hate by Simon Klose and Undercover: Exposing the Far Right by Havana Marking.

CIVIL SOCIETY’S STRUGGLES AND RESILIENCE

Grappling with its own profound crises, Lebanon is the focus of the Forum Lebanese resilience put to the test, featuring, among others, Franco-Lebanese writer and photographer Sabyl Ghoussoub (Prix Goncourt des lycéens 2022). The discussion will be preceded by the documentary To Close Your Eyes and See Fire, by Nicola von Leffern and Jakob Carl Sauer. 

In the Spotlight Sudan: civil society ignored in a forgotten war, linked to the film Khartoum –produced and directed by a collective of Sudanese filmmakers, also selected for the Berlinale–, the spotlight focuses on one of today’s biggest humanitarian disasters, neglected by both media and international politics. 

FEMINIST STRUGGLES ON THE FRONT LINES

In light of the global rollback of women’s rights and gender minorities, the FIFDH honours those who demand and fight for their rights. In the Fiction Competition, three feature films presented in Swiss Premieres highlight stories from around the world. Manas by Marianna Brennand transports us to the Amazon; Sugar Island by Johanné Gómez Terrero takes place in the Dominican Republic; and Norah by Tawik Alzaidi is set in Saudi Arabia. These films follow women determined to forge their own paths in a patriarchal world that aims to confine them. 

Three discussions take the exploration further. Echoing the global impact of the Mazan trial, the Forum Gender-based violence: ending silence and shame —featuring journalist Giulia Foïs— sheds light on the shame that still too often weighs heavily on survivors. The film Writing Hawa precedes the Spotlight The unwavering strength of Afghan women, with director Najiba Noori and her mother, Hawa Noori, in attendance. Finally, gender discrimination in sports is addressed in the Forum Sport as a mirror of social norms, with sprinter Halba Diouf and boxer Maho Bah-Villemagne. 

STORIES FROM A MIDDLE EAST UNDER PRESSURE

The devastating conflicts in the Middle East, redrawing regional geopolitical balances, are examined through a cross-cutting lens, with the screening of A State of Passion by Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi, in its International Premiere. The film follows British-Palestinian surgeon Dr Ghassan Abu Sittah, operating under bombardment in Gaza, as well as his advocacy efforts with institutions and the media. He will appear in a Spotlight alongside OHCHR Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Meanwhile, audiences can discover The Bibi Files by Alexis Bloom, shortlisted for the 2025 Oscars, which probes the corruption dynamics and the personal interests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in prolonging the conflict in Gaza. 

SWITZERLAND IN THE HOT SEAT:
THE FUTURE OF HUMANITARIAN LAW

International cooperation is under increasing pressure and facing major budget cuts. Switzerland finds itself at the heart of discussions, as such political decisions risk having a lasting impact on vulnerable populations, on international Geneva and on the image of a country that has long defended its neutrality through its humanitarian commitment.

These issues are at the heart of the debate UNRWA called into question: is Humanitarian Law dead? featuring, among others, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and former Swiss Ambassador to Israel Jean-Daniel Ruch. The Forum will be preceded by UNRWA, 75 ans d’une histoire provisoire by Lyana Saleh and Nicolas Wadimoff, shown in its World Premiere. 

FROM ANGER TO CARE:
SEEKING SOLUTIONS IN A WORLD IN CRISIS

Lastly, the 23rd edition highlights one crucial idea: transforming outrage and anger into solidarity and kindness in the face of political, environmental, and institutional upheaval.

The Tender Revolution, directed by Annelie Boroș, explores the lives of four people striving for social change and invites us to adopt a “tender revolution”. Meanwhile, Queer Camp by Chris Westendorp and Lucas van der Rhee follows 65 young people in a summer camp dedicated to queer youth, a space of self-love and communal compassion that celebrates diversity and acceptance —films that underscore the importance of both personal and collective well-being.