Pathways

A vigorous section of titles around the concept of dissent. Farmers, artists, land defenders, and activists publicly stand against official rulings and the immutable dictates of the status quo. The price to pay for defending principles of freedom, sovereignty, and equity is often high but they won’t give up. These are their stories.

In this pathway, the filmmakers take their cameras to see their families closely. They might be attempting to break cycles of neglect, alcoholism, and violence, inquiring about wounds that remained open and untold, or just trying to rebuild bonds through a meaningful conversation. The result is a selection of works bound with light, care, and love.

Through conscious conversations, affectionate letters, critical questionings, or shared reveries, the films and new media projects in this pathway reveal how the foundations of human relationships are built. Filmmakers salute dialogue as the better way to understand our world with a selection of titles propelled by the power of words.

Farmers take the leading role in this series of films. Agriculture, country life, state policy, foreign affairs, transnational interests, and climate change are some of the big themes of a selection of documentaries that depict a complex reality and skillfully transform it into engaging cinematic journeys inhabited by unforgettable characters.

The artist holds a sacred place in our society. They are the visionaries who expand the space for imagination, compassion, and curiosity. In this selection of films, we present a mosaic of makers and dreamers, from a range of creative disciplines and contexts whose work asks us to venture into a deeper engagement with the world and ourselves.

This pathway is supported by the Brook Foundation.

IDFA presents, in collaboration with the European Cultural Foundation, a selection of films that delve into the many facets of life in Europe today. As the continent encounters and adjusts to a rapidly changing world, themes of identity, environment, and migration remain at the forefront of the conversation.

This pathway is supported by ECF, European Cultural Foundation

Humans share the planet with many other species, and in this selection of films, we take a walk on the wild side, bringing our faces up close to plants that sprout from the ground beneath us, and admire the beauty of the beasts that walk alongside us, in landscapes that span the city to the jungle.

The subterranean currents of history are always flowing beneath the ground of the present. In this selection, we present films that excavate the past and unearth the connections between the world in which we now live, and the people and events that came before, which might otherwise remain hidden.

In the fight against injustice, in some cases a camera can be a weapon wielded with power. But it in other cases, the camera can also create a place of safety, and its field of vision can create a protective front against an assault on freedom or integrity. In this selection, we explore the power of the camera as safeguard.

In the midst of recent events and the significant loss of civilian lives, it’s easy to fall into tunnel vision. These films offer a profound opportunity to go beyond the immediate moment and explore the question of Palestine from various perspectives. A diverse lineup of filmmakers drives this exploration, motivated by a hope for a future grounded in justice, critical thought, and cinematic courage.