Call for projects: Impact Days 2025

Are you a filmmaker or producer working on a documentary project with a strong potential for impact? Would you like to work with experts to refine your impact strategy, get individually matched with potential partners and win cash prizes to help achieve your impact goals?



With the right partners, documentaries have the power to motivate change!  At the FIFDH Impact Days we facilitate meaningful alliances between filmmakers and key players in the vast ecosystem of organisations, policymakers and funders active around International Geneva and beyond.

Now in its seventh year, Impact Days has helped hundreds of participants elevate and amplify the impact of their work.

Throughout January and February our programme includes

• an online Impact Lab for the filmmakers behind our international selected Impact Days projects
• an in-person Impact Workshop for NGOs and other international organisations based in and around Geneva
• an in-person Impact Meet for philanthropists based in and around Geneva

In March we bring everyone together and welcome a wider professional public to Geneva for three inspiring days of public pitches, impact case studies, talks with key impact players and curated networking sessions. These activities are open to international filmmakers, impact producers, NGOs and other organisations working on social justice issues, philanthropists and the media. 

For our 2025 edition, we will select twelve documentary projects from the 100+ international entries we received again this year. Expert tutors will coach the selected filmmaking teams over several weeks to develop an impact strategy around their project. Then when the FIFDH festival is in full swing in March, we will connect the teams – in person – with potential impact partners in Geneva and beyond.

Selection criteria

A group of international impact experts will select projects driven by thoughtful and in-depth storytelling. The projects will have to demonstrate a compelling visual approach and a clear vision of the impact they wish to make. As such, we consider all applications from independent filmmakers and/or producers who are committed to outreach goals, and who are looking for collaborators to make their films truly influential within the social justice and human rights space.

Eligibility

• We consider non-fiction films of 52+ minutes
• Only one project per company or filmmaker can be selected. However, an applicant can be a member of the key creative personnel on multiple projects.
• Projects must be in production or post-production. A teaser or trailer is essential – submissions without one will not be considered.
• Recently completed films (2024) which can benefit from developing a relevant and urgent impact campaign are also eligible.

Benefits for selected film teams

• Expert training on how to: identify and refine the film’s impact goals; develop and implement an impact strategy ; design and deliver an impact pitch ; identify potential partners outside the documentary industry ; identify and inspire strategic audiences.
• The opportunity to publicly pitch the project and its impact campaign in Geneva on 11 March, in the presence of potential funders and impact partners (NGOs, civil society, journalists).
• Curated connections to key players (NGOs and other international organizations, foundations, impact producers) within their issue areas, through pre-arranged one-to-one meetings. 
• Networking opportunities with current and previous international Impact Days participants: filmmakers, producers, impact producers, experts and Lab tutors, as well as other FIFDH Festival attendees. 

Please note: The selected film teams must attend all compulsory events (Impact Lab and Impact Days) with at least one participant, and up to a maximum of three. These must be the project Director, Producer and/or Impact Producer/strategist. The compulsory events take place on the following dates: 15 & 16 January online + three one-hour sessions in February (dates dependent on participants’ and tutors’ availability) + 9-12 March in Geneva. All events are held in English.

The FIFDH requires its Impact Days 2025 selection logo to be included in the film credits once it is finalised.

Costs and discounts

Submission is free. Selected teams will need to pay an accreditation fee of 180 CHF for each team member attending the event. The accreditation gives access to all Impact Lab and Impact Days activities including lunches and the closing cocktail, as well as to all festival screenings and debates for the entire duration of the FIFDH (7-16 March 2025). In addition, the FIFDH Impact Days will cover accommodation for up to 2 participants per film. Travel to and from Geneva will be at the participants’ own expense.

Thanks to the support of the South Culture Fund, selected participants based in the priority countries of the DDC (Direction suisse du développement et de la coopération) can have their accreditation, trip and accommodation covered by the FIFDH. See countries here.

Selected participants who are members of partner organisations or alumni of partner training programmes with this same project will benefit from 50% off their accreditation cost. See here for the list of partner organisations – scroll down to “In collaboration with”.

The call for projects is now closed. The selected projects will be announced by the end of the year.