12/03/2025 - The industry section of the Geneva-based human rights festival has granted awards to three projects addressing cultural resilience, war crimes and economic hardship

Children of Honey by Jigar Ganatra and Immanuel Musa Marc, which won the StoryBoard Impact Award

The seventh edition of Impact Days, the industry-focused section of Geneva’s International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH), wrapped on 11 March. Over the course of two days filled with pitches, presentations and networking events, Impact Days brought together impact-driven filmmakers, NGOs and philanthropists from around the world. The gathering not only provided a platform for collaboration, but also celebrated the winners of its awards. This year’s Impact Lab supported 12 documentary projects (see the news) in refining their outreach strategies and securing key partnerships, while the newly introduced Swiss Focus initiative shone a spotlight on four homegrown projects (see the news).

Exploring themes of cultural survival, resilience and systemic injustice, the three award-winning documentaries shed light on communities in crisis – from the Hadza people's fight to preserve their traditions to Ukrainian survivors seeking justice for war crimes, and a Swiss mother’s battle against poverty and mental health struggles.

The StoryBoard Impact Award, accompanied by a 10,000 CHF (€10,400) grant from the StoryBoard Collective, was awarded to Children of Honey, directed by Tanzanian filmmakers Jigar Ganatra and Immanuel Musa Marco. The documentary follows three young Hadza friends as they navigate the mounting pressures threatening their once-thriving hunter-gatherer community. With 90% of their ancestral land lost and the invasion of modern influences – most devastatingly alcohol, which their bodies cannot metabolise – these young men face a critical choice: to fight for their traditions or surrender to an uncertain future. Set over two summers, the film offers a glimpse into a culture at a crossroads. Currently in production with an expected completion date of March 2026, the project is being produced by Natalie Humphreys (Storyboard Studios, UK) and impact producer Simona Nickmanova (Regina Safari, Slovakia/Tanzania).

The Sublimages Impact Award, offering translation and subtitling services, was granted to Traces, the new documentary by Ukrainian filmmakers Alisa Kovalenko (We Will Not Fade Away [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]) and Marysia Nikitiuk (When the Trees Fall [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marysia Nikitiuk
film profile]). The film presents the testimonies of six women who survived sexual violence and torture during Russia’s aggression in Ukraine between 2014 and 2023. Through their personal accounts, Traces constructs a multi-layered psychological portrait of trauma, resilience and the pursuit of justice, documenting war crimes while confronting the lasting scars they leave behind. Produced by Olha Beskhmelnytsina and Natalia Libet, of 2Brave Productions, the documentary is currently in production, with completion expected in May.

Finally, the Swiss Focus Impact Award, accompanied by a 2,500 CHF (€2,600) grant from FIFDH Impact Days, was awarded to Nathalie, directed by Tamara Milosevic and produced by Madeleine Corbat, of Recycled TV. The documentary sheds light on the challenges of poverty, debt and mental health in Switzerland through the story of Nathalie, a 56-year-old single mother and domestic worker. Despite her relentless efforts, she finds herself trapped in a cycle of financial insecurity, where mounting pressures take a toll on both her well-being and her children’s future. The documentary is currently in production and is expected to be completed by May.

The winners of the 2025 FIFDH Impact Days are as follows:

StoryBoard Impact Award
Children of Honey - Jigar Ganatra, Immanuel Musa Marc (Tanzania/UK)
Producer: Natalie Humphreys (Storyboard Studios)
Impact producer: Simona Nickmanova (Regina Safari)

Sublimages Award
Traces - Alisa Kovalenko, Marysia Nikitiuk (Ukraine)
Producers: Olha Beskhmelnytsina, Natalia Libet (2Brave Productions)

Swiss Focus Impact Award
Nathalie - Tamara Milosevic (Switzerland)
Producer: Madeleine Corbat (Recycled TV)