In 2026, FIFDH (International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva) presents 35 documentaries, nine fiction films and twelve short films competing in the various competitions, and/or accompanying the 21 Forums and three Impact Spotlights. The competing films will be reviewed by international and youth juries, who will reveal the Award winners during the Closing Ceremony.
“Whether you wish to engage with filmmakers, protagonists or the teams behind the films, don’t miss the Q&A sessions held after most screenings. These discussions offer a unique opportunity to gain insight into the creative process and the artistic and activist intentions behind each work,” organisers underline. “Join us from 6 to 15 March for ten days of engaged cinema and powerful conversations on human rights. We encourage you to book your tickets in advance to secure your seats.”
International Documentary Competition (scroll down for selections)
For the 24th edition, nine documentaries have been selected to compete in this section. The competition showcases feature documentaries from around the world—works by filmmakers “whose powerful subject matter blends with a free and inventive cinematic style.”
The films in this section compete for the following awards:
- FIFDH Geneva Grand Award
- FIFDH Gilda Vieira de Mello Award
- Youth Jury Award – Documentary
The International Documentary Competition Jury comprises:
- Zed Nelson, Photographer and filmmaker
- Sarah Schulman, US author and playwright
- Dieudo Hamadi, Filmmaker
Focus Competition (scroll down for selections)
A panorama of twelves documentaries that bear witness to human rights violations and initiatives on the ground, or that highlight the investigative work of committed filmmakers and journalists. The films in this section compete for the Vision for Human Rights Award and, for most of them, accompany the edition’s Forums and Impact Spotlights.
Focus Competition Jury:
- Elise Golay, Campaign and Mobilisation Manager – International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
- Judith Fiss, Human Rights Activism Coordinator – Amnesty International Switzerland
- Kibrom Mehari, Policy Advisor, Right to Food – HEKS/EPER
- Sharon Oseku-Frainier, Senior Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Officer – Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
- Spring Gombe, Board Member – Helvetas, Founding Director – Policy/Strategy Group
Fiction Competition
This year’s selection comprises eight fiction films, an international selection that “explores, through their form and content, issues connected to human rights. This section champions cinema in all its variety, from powerful dramas to socially engaged comedies and films d’auteur.”
The films in this section compete for the following awards:
- Fiction Grand Award FIFDH
- Youth Jury Award – Fiction
Jury Fiction Jury
- Jenny Billeter, Programmer
- Adania Shibli, Author
- Thierry Oppikofer, Representative of fondation Barbour
- Elie Grappe, Filmmaker
CREATIVE DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
- A Fox Under a Pink Moon, by Mehrdad Oskouei & Soraya Akhlaghi. Iran /France /UK /US /Denmark. 2025, Swiss Premiere
- Black Water by Naxto Leuza, Spain. 2025, Swiss Premiere
- The Beauty of the Donkey by Dea Gjinovci. Switzerland / Kosovo / France / US. 2025, Swiss Romande Premiere
- Letters from Wolf Street by Arjun Talwar. Poland / Germany. 2025. Swiss Romande Premiere
- Mailin by María Silvia Esteve, Argentina / France / Romania. 2025, Swiss Premiere
- Molly vs The Machines by Marc Silver. UK. 2026, International Premiere
- Runa Simi by Augusto Zegarra. Peru. 2025. Swiss Premiere
- Scarlet Girls by Paula Cury. Dominican Republic / Germany. 2026, Swiss Premiere
- Silver by Natalia Koniarz, Poland / Norway / Finland. 2025. Swiss Premiere
FOCUS COMPETITION
- Belleville nous verra toujours danser by Hugo Sobelman, France. 2025. International Premiere
- Disunited Nation by Christophe Cotteret. Belgium, 2025
- Elephant & Squirrels by Gregor Brändli, Switzerland, 2025. Swiss Romande Premiere
- Eyes of the Machine by Daya Cahen. Netherlands, 2025. Swiss Premiere
- Freedom – Le destin de Shewit by Anne-Frédérique Widmann. Switzerland, 2026. Swiss Romande Premiere
- Identity by Florencia Santucho & Rodrigo Vázquez-Salessi. Argentina / UK. 2025. Swiss Premiere
- Just Kids by Gianna Toboni. US, 2025. Swiss Premiere
- Portuali by Perla Sardella. Italy, 2024. Swiss Romande Premiere
DOCUMENTARIES OUT OF COMPETITION
- Alice au pays des colons by Yanis Mhamdi, France. 2025. Swiss Premiere
- Facing War by Tommy Gulliksen, Norway / Belgium / US. 2025
- Free Money by Lauren DeFilippo & Sam Soko, Kenya / US. 2022
- The Day Iceland Stood Still by Pamela Hogan, Islande / US. 2024. Swiss Romande Premiere
- Of Mud and Blood by Jean-Gabriel Leynaud, France / Allemagne / RDC. 2024. Swiss Premiere
- The Librarians by Kim A. Snyder. 2025. US
- Sudan, Remember Us by Hind Meddeb. France / Tunisie / Qatar. 2024
- Temps présent: IA, mon confident mortel by Corinne Portier & Jacqueline Dubuis. Switzerland. 2026. World premiere
- Le Cas Meloni by Anna Bonalume & Jérémy Frey. France. 2026. World premiere
- Chronically Ignored by Sibylle Dahrendorf & Daniela Schmidt-Langels. Germany / Austria. 2025
- The Last Pig by Allison Argo. US. 2022
- From GAZA with LOVE by Suhail Nassar, Charles Villa, Elie Dupont and Mathias Hillion. France, 2026. International Premiere
- Là où Dieu n’est pas by Mehran Tamadon. France / Switzerland. 2023
