The International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH), which runs from 7-16 March 2026, has announced the line-up for the eighth edition of its Impact Days programme. As in previous years, the initiative combines public events with a specialised Impact Lab training programme that supports 12 international documentary projects seeking to advance social change.

For the 2026 edition, the Impact Lab team evaluated almost 200 submissions from 70 countries, representing all five continents. The final selection brings together films that confront a wide spectrum of global concerns. One follows the journey of young Palestinian amputee cyclists determined to represent their country on the world stage despite the ongoing devastation in Gaza. Another examines the struggle of Mexican avocado-growing communities facing cartel violence, deforestation pressures and internal divisions. A further project highlights the efforts to preserve indigenous cultural heritage in central India, while another traces the fight for the rights of HIV patients in Albania.

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Elsewhere, Ukrainian children recount their memories after escaping Russian re-education camps, transforming their trauma into animated reflections. One project documents the rise of a pagan white supremacist group in a small rural town, offering a sobering warning about the normalisation of extremism. Additional films address the Burmese resistance movement, the legacy of war-related violence, and a series of confidential works for which details are shared only with targeted partners owing to security concerns.

Curated by a committee of impact and documentary professionals, the selection reflects the programme’s commitment to supporting filmmakers who aim to combine storytelling with meaningful advocacy. Participating teams will join the Impact Lab in order to refine their long-term strategies and to connect with NGOs, international organisations and philanthropists active in the fields their films address. The programme continues to act as a bridge between cinema and human rights work, facilitating collaborations that can lead to concrete social impact.

Impact Days will begin on 15 January with the Impact Filmmaking for Social Justice webinar, followed by a series of in-person industry events in Geneva from 8-10 March. These gatherings will offer keynotes, case studies, curated networking opportunities and public showcases designed to foster productive exchanges between filmmakers and the international impact community.

Here are the selected projects for the 2026 Impact Lab:

Green Gold – Selim Benzeghia, Ivonne J Serna (France/USA)
Producers: Geoffrey Livolsi (Koudéta), Alex Pritz, Will Miller (Documist)
Impact producers: Ivonne J Serna, Julio Santoyo Guerrero

Gaza Sunbirds - Flavia Cappelini (Belgium/UK)
Producers: Kristian Van der Heyden (Harald House), Alex King (Perfidious Productions)
Impact producer: Alex King

The Blue Sweater With a Yellow Hole - Tetiana Khodakivska (Ukraine)
Producer: Elena Saulich (Pronto Film)

Water Is Coming - Lansana Mansaray (France/Sierra Leone/South Africa)
Producers: Victor Ede (Cinéphage), Adeniké Hamilton (Freetown Media Centre), Zoe Ramushu (STEPS [Social Transformation and Empowerment Projects])
Impact producer: Adeniké Hamilton

Olimbi- Mother Courage - Karlo Mlinar (Croatia)
Producers: Margareta Brodić, Filip Filković (More Magnets)
Impact producer: Karlo Mlinar

The Quiet Part - Rachel Lauren Mueller (USA/Iceland/Germany)
Producers: Ariel Tilson, Lynn Kirby (The Quiet Part LLC), Kristín Andrea Þórðardóttir (Andrá Productions), Ruth Ersfeld (Alma Bäng)
Impact producer: Ariel Tilson

Women and War - Elwira Niewiera (Poland/Germany/Ukraine)
Producers: Maciej Kubicki (Telemark), Hans Robert Eisenhauer (Ventana-Film), Natalie Krasilnikova (Art Dialogue NGO)

This Is Not a Civil War - Oliver Petrie (France)
Producer: Tanguy Babin (PaladiOra Films)
Impact producer: Estelle Brossier

Green Is the Fire Tint - Arya Rothe, Isabella Rinaldi, Cristina Hanes (India/Romania/Italy/Switzerland)
Producers: Cristina Hanes (NoCut Film Collective), Kaleo La Belle (La Belle Film GmbH)

War on Women - Maris Salumets (Estonia/Romania/Germany/USA)
Producers: Maris Salumets (Gambit Film), Elina Litvinova (Three Brothers), Monica Lazurean Gorgan (Manifest Film), Gregor Streiber (Insel Film), Simon Kilmurry (Drymen Pictures LCC)
Impact producer: Marianna Olinger

UFO - Anonymous

Confidential project - Afghan filmmaking collective (Afghanistan)