Movies That Matter Dutch Focus: The Winning Generation by Marco De Stefanis
The Netherlands-based Italian filmmaker discusses his new feature documentary, selected for Movies That Matter, about the ongoing febrile political situation in Armenia. “The moment I got interested in Shahen was when I realised the pressure this young guy was under,” recalls director Marco De Stefanis. “He was keeping up the fight while his father was in prison. I felt really sorry for a guy that age that doesn’t have the same youth I had.”
Movies That Matter Dutch Focus: Voix Invisibles by Bart van den Aardweg
Dutch Bart van den Aardweg discusses his dynamic new documentary, shot in both Belgium and The Netherlands, which addresses alienation and how youths may resort either to criminality or radicalisation as an outlet. “I wanted to explore the mind of somebody on the so-called wrong path further and deeper, and to create an interior monologue, to connect their thoughts to the physical shape I had used before. And I knew that I had to live amongst my characters to catch the real story, make them talk to me.”
NEFTi Short Film Comp and MtM Join Forces
The NEFTi International Short Film Comp and Movies That Matter Festival announced March 23 a new partnership to support displaced filmmakers living in the European diaspora and across the African continent. The organisations have together launched the 2026 NEFTi Competition, aimed at identifying and supporting emerging filmmakers whose perspectives are shaped by global displacement.
Traces and Aisha Can’t Fly Away win top prizes at Movies that Matter
Traces by Alisa Kovalenko & Marysia Nikitiuk, and Morad Mostafa's Aisha Can't Fly Away win the festival’s Grand Jury Awards. Other winners include Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni (Activist Lens); This Is My Body by Jérôme Clément-Wilz (Justice Frame); Between Brothers by Tom Fassaert (Dutch Focus); and Rahhala: Hayya ala Hayya by Lujain Jo (Shorts).
