Pathways

The artist holds a vital 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 invites deeper engagement with the world and ourselves.

Humans are a part of nature, yet our actions are rapidly transforming the world around us. This selection of films takes us on a journey and along the way, we meet local heroes who fight to protect and preserve what can still be saved with remarkable determination.

Democracy is not a given; it must be defended and nurtured every single day. The films in this Pathway introduce us to individuals on the front lines of the fight for freedom of speech, human rights, civic participation, and the preservation of democratic institutions. Their stories reveal the many powerful forms that resistance and political activism can take, offering inspiration even in countries where democracy is often taken for granted.

The films in this selection explore existential questions and the timeless search for meaning in our lives. Many of the directors delve into themes of identity, mortality, loss, and exile, as well as our ties to past generations and the longing for a personal ‘paradise’—a refuge from the chaos of everyday life.

Mental health is a central theme in the films featured in this Pathway, ranging from childhood trauma to burnout and consequences of sexual abuse. Through reenacted scenes depicting psychosis, letters written to oneself, and the intricate processes of therapeutic healing, we are invited into these intimate journeys.

The films in this selection explore the bond between parents and their children and the complexities of parenthood with depth, creativity, and emotional honesty. This set of films invites reflection on our own relationships in a deeply personal way.

In authoritarian regimes or dictatorships, it is often only a handful of individuals who find the courage to stand up and resist. The films in this Pathway highlight those who feel a deep moral obligation to oppose injustice, despite risking their lives, freedom, or the safety of loved ones. These individuals serve as powerful examples for us all; they are the ones who shape history and will be remembered in the collective memory of their people long after the fight is over.

This Pathway explores themes of female solidarity, emancipation, and the experience of being a woman in today’s world. The films delve into the bonds between generations—mothers, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, and friends—highlighting how wisdom and resilience are passed down through shared experiences.  

What does it truly mean to feel at home—to feel a connection to a place, a sense of belonging? The films in this Pathway take a thoughtful and philosophical exploration of what a home truly means, something familiar yet intimate. These films reflect on what it means for those who have been uprooted, those who yearn for what they’ve lost, and those who begin anew in unfamiliar places.

Dismantling colonial structures and achieving true liberation is an ongoing, often challenging process—one that remains unfinished in many parts of the world. At times, it unfolds quietly; at others, it becomes entangled in persistent, inherited systems. The films in this Pathway critically examine the enduring struggles faced by individuals and communities as they search for identity, reclaim dignity, and assert rights long denied under imperial rule.

What defines reality? The documentaries in this Pathway creatively reinterpret reality through innovation, playfulness, and experimentation. Their originality makes it a joy to experience the makers’ subjective perspectives on diverse themes. From fictionalized scenes to reenacted stories, the films invite viewers to reassess their understanding of filmmaking and the borders of ‘the real’.

The films in this Pathway invite audiences to experience documentary films crafted in collaboration with the characters themselves. This unique approach leads to conscious forms of self-representation and original stories developed together with filmmakers who allow their protagonists to often take the lead, surprising both themselves and the viewers along the way.

Among the wide range of topics, the broad variety of genres, and the new modes of approaching gender and sexuality, films in the Queer Pathway offer an exciting, thought-provoking, defiant, and often humorous look at the everyday dimensions of extraordinary queer lives.

The films in this Pathway are showing history in the making, focusing on events and developments that took place in the recent past but foreshadowed a future that we currently live in. In these films, we witness the early stages of societal, political, and cultural shifts whose impact we now experience fully.

The films in this Pathway focus closely on the lives of young people and the challenges that children, teenagers, and youth face as they grow. We meet young individuals striving to find their place in a complex world, navigating restrictions, oppressive traditions, conflicts, and climate change, while advocating for a better future.