Where impact campaigns come to life and connect with their audience! As an integral part of the FIFDH’s public programme, the Impact Spotlight section facilitates the organisation of impact screenings in Geneva at the heart of a unique global network of international cooperation stakeholders.
YURLU | COUNTRY ©André Cordeli
Each year, the FIFDH selects up to five films that have an impact campaign ready for implementation, with a view to showcasing the films and delivering their message to an audience that includes key stakeholders.
The programme
The FIFDH offers the teams behind selected films:
- Support in launching their impact campaign.
- A public event featuring a screening of the film followed by a discussion with international panellists.
- Public engagement through a call to action.
- Targeted invitations to key stakeholders to attend the film screening and discussion.
- A private programme enabling you to engage strategic stakeholders (representatives of NGOs, international organisations, philanthropic foundations or diplomats based in Geneva).
- Networking opportunities with other FIFDH participants.
Submissions deadline: 28 July 2026
The selection criteria are as follows:
- Cinematographic quality: the film demonstrates a high-quality cinematic approach and narrative.
- Theme: the film addresses urgent and important issues related to human rights and/or the environment and helps raise public awareness of these issues.
- Impact potential: the film has the potential to shift public opinion on the issue it addresses and to encourage those who see it to take action.
- Impact campaign: the film is accompanied by a robust impact campaign ready for launch, with clear and specific objectives.
- Relevance to Geneva: the film’s impact objectives justify organising a screening and an event in Geneva, given the stakeholders present there (international organisations, NGOs, diplomatic missions, etc.).
The FIFDH encourages applications from independent filmmakers and/or producers who are actively committed to achieving their impact objectives by forging new collaborations and mobilising partners
Films meeting the following criteria are eligible for selection:
- Recently completed documentary films (2026 until February 2027) with a minimum running time of 52 minutes.
- Films addressing a theme related to human rights and/or the environment, from anywhere in the world.
- Films with an impact campaign currently underway or ready to be launched at the time of the FIFDH
- Films that would benefit from being screened in Geneva to key stakeholders, and which can engage the Festival audience through a call to action.
- The FIFDH requires the Swiss premiere of the film to be exclusive
- Only one project per company or director, but an applicant may be involved in several projects as a key member of the creative team.
- Submissions must include a screener or rough cut, as well as detailed information on the impact campaign.