FIFDH Impact Days unveiled February 3 its 2026 programme, which will bring together NGOs, filmmakers, impact practitioners and funders to help deliver impact strategies for documentaries addressing the most urgent contemporary issues.
Running March 8 to 10, the Geneva-based industry programme will present a packed schedule of keynotes, screenings, case studies and analyses of best practices from around the world. Core to proceedings is the pitch of 12 international film projects developed during the Impact Lab training programme, and a 4 further impact projects in Swiss Focus.
After a March 8 Impact Spotlight screening and discussion (film to be announced Feb 12), events kick off in earnest March 9 with a keynote by renowned Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, born and raised in Gaza’s Al-Shati refugee camp, who will explore two core dimensions of film and filmmaking in Gaza (From the Rubble to the Screen: Cinema for Survival).
This is followed by two Impact case studies, the first focussing on how best to maximise Impact by applying the differing perspectives of multiple films on a given issue (The Indigenous Impact Alliance: Multiple Films for Collective Impact). The second case study is titled The Pickers Journey: How Strategy and Robust Funding Fueled a European Impact Campaign, about a successful Impact campaign which spanned 6 countries, engaging over 650,000 people across Europe.
Later that morning, delegates can attend the Beyond the Headlines: Media as Meaningful Partners for Change panel. Journalists and digital media outlets can be powerful allies in amplifying the reach and influence of an impact campaign. But beyond a traditional press strategy around a premiere, what does meaningful collaboration really look like? How can media professionals actively contribute to advancing shared impact goals and shifting public narratives?
The March 9 afternoon session kicks off with a ‘Meet the Organisations’ session titled Navigating NGOs: From First Contact to Meaningful Collaboration, moderated by Sophie Mulphin, NGO Programme Manager.
This is followed by the Swiss Focus Pitches and Roundtables, an Impact Days event designed for connection and dialogue between Swiss impact stakeholders of all language regions, selected international Impact Days guests, and Swiss filmmakers. The event showcases four Swiss film projects open to impact collaborations both on a national and an international level.
The following day, Tuesday March 10, commences with the International Pitch by the 2026 Impact Lab film teams of their campaigns to an audience of international organisations and NGOs, film industry professionals and philanthropists. Click above to read more about each of the projects.
Also on March 10, a panel titled Impact Financing Today: Insights, Challenges and Opportunities will seek to unite impact financing experts to reveal current trends and practical strategies for securing funding to drive social change through film.
In the afternoon session titled Anatomy of an Impact Campaign, impact practitioners from across the globe will share their strategies, insights, and lived experiences. “There’s no single blueprint for an impact campaign, but countless creative ways to spark change,” writes FIFDH.
The event will close with FIFDH Awards and Closing Party.
This year’s Impact Days will take place during the 24th edition of the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights will runs from 6 to 15 March, 2026.
