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Programme 2026

Under the motto WHERE STORIES FIGHT BACK, the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin 2026 placed the spotlight on those who, in the face of global challenges such as conflict and the growing threats to freedom of expression and press freedom, stand up for justice, democracy, and liberty. From April 10 to 18, the festival screened 24 documentary films on the themes of democracy, human rights, and press freedom – telling stories of courage, solidarity, and humanity.

Opening film 2026: YANUNI by Richard Ladkani

In the Brazilian Amazon region, Juma Xipaia wages a determined fight for her people’s right to exist. A film about Indigenous sovereignty, love, and the urgent struggle for our planet.

Winner of the Willy Brandt Documentary Film Award: MOTHERS OF CHIBOK by Joel Kachi Benson

Winner of the Youth Award: THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT by Emily Mkrtichian

Winner of the Audience Award: RUNA SIMI von Augusto Zegarra

FILMS 2026

©2000 Meters to Andriivka

2000 METERS TO ANDRIIVKA

Ukrainian soldiers fight their way through a forest to liberate the village of Andriivka, occupied by the Russian army – a film about the reality of war and the lives it takes.

A FREE DAUGHTER OF FREE KYRGYZSTAN

At 19, Zere Asylbek becomes the face of the feminist movement in Kyrgyzstan through her feminist music video. Despite harassment and violence, she continues to fight for a country where everyone has equal rights.

ALL THE MOUNTAINS GIVE

For six years, Rakhsha follows Kurdish kolbars forced to smuggle goods across the Iranian-Iraqi border. An untold story, rendered in striking images filled with grief and love.

BEDROCK

On a journey through present-day Poland, people living at former Holocaust sites confront the tensions between identity, memory, and responsibility.

BIRDS OF WAR

Die Liebesgeschichte einer in London lebenden libanesischen Journalistin und eines syrischen Kameramanns – erzählt anhand von 13 Jahren persönlicher Archive über Revolution, Krieg und Exil hinweg.

BLACK WATER

In southern Bangladesh, Lokhi and her family flee the immediate impacts of the climate crisis to Dhaka – a film about the unavoidable present of the crisis.

CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS

As the first councilwoman in her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi fights against patriarchy by teaching girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages, until accusations put her identity in turmoil.

DEMOCRACY UNDER ATTACK - CAN DÜNDAR AND TRUMP'S AMERICA

In a deeply divided society, Can Dündar and Demid Sheronkin travel across Trump’s America, encountering MAGA supporters and critics alike – and examine democracy, freedom of speech, and the repercussions for Europe.

MARCHING IN THE DARK

The suicide rate among Indian farmers is staggering. Among them was
Sanjivani’s husband. After his death, she fights against the patriarchal
exclusion of widows and finds new strength in solidarity.

©Mothers of Chibok

MOTHERS OF CHIBOK

Over ten years after their daughters were abducted by Boko Haram, four mothers in northeastern Nigeria fight against being forgotten and find new ways to stand up for a better future.

NIÑXS

Karla is 15 and, in Tepoztlán, Mexico, navigates her gender transition and journey of self-discovery. She shapes her own story and over eight years, a radiant film about friendship, autonomy, and hope unfolds.

©Put your soul on your hand and walk

PUT YOUR SOUL ON YOUR HAND AND WALK

Through fragile video calls, photojournalist Fatma Hassona shares her life in Gaza. In conversations with the director, a portrait emerges of a resilient woman and her indispensable work in making Gaza’s reality visible.

RUNA SIMI

In Peru, Fernando dubs Disney clips into Quechua with his son. His dream: “The Lion King” in their own language — a fight for visibility and cultural participation.

©Shot the Voice of Freedom

SHOT - THE VOICE OF FREEDOM

A group of women in Afghanistan fights against Taliban oppression for freedom, education, and self-determination. A film about female solidarity and courage.

SILENT LEGACY

Sibiry, a choreographer from Burkina Faso living in Finland, searches for belonging between two worlds. Through observational cinema, the film explores identity, migration, and colonial legacies.

SUDAN, REMEMBER US

In Sudan, young artists fight for freedom and peace during the 2019 uprisings. Their voices form the collective portrait of a generation and its creative resilience against the authoritarian regime.

THE LAST SHORE

In 2017, 22-year-old Gambian Pateh Sabally drowned in Venice’s Grand Canal as bystanders looked on. Thousands of miles away, his family now reclaims his story from the images that circled the world.

©The Thing To Be Done

THE THING TO BE DONE

In Ljubljana, the Workers’ Advocacy Office fights exploitation and systemic inequality for the working class. A film about the power of dedicated activism against the backdrop of modern Europe’s inequalities.

©The Wolves Always Come at Night

THE WOLVES ALWAYS COME AT NIGHT

In the Mongolian desert, a young nomadic family fights to protect their way of life. This poetic hybrid film explores the fragile bond between humans and nature in the face of global climate crisis.

THE WOMAN WHO POKED THE LEOPARD

Imprisoned, tortured, and bereaved, Ugandan dissident Dr. Stella Nyanzi defies a dictator, runs for parliament, and seeks refuge abroad, where her fight for freedom continues.

©THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT

THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT

The first line of every Armenian fairy tale, THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT tells the collective myth of a homeland lost forever – and four women’s resistance to that loss.

TRACES

Six Ukrainian women who survived sexual violence and torture during Russia’s war of aggression refuse to stay silent. More than a record of war crimes, Traces is a testament to female strength and solidarity.

WHERE THE WAVES TOOK HER

The film presents sea rescue from a female perspective: Jana Stallein follows midwife Anne-Katrin and intertwines her experiences with the stories of refugee women on board.

YANUNI

In the Brazilian Amazon region, Juma Xipaia wages a determined fight for her people’s right to exist. A film about Indigenous sovereignty, love, and the urgent struggle for our planet.

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©Maria Svidryk

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©Maria Svidryk

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©Maria Svidryk

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©Maria Svidryk

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©Maria Svidryk

last update:

15. MAY 2026

Organised by:

Aktion gegen den Hunger

In cooperation with:

Greenpeace

© Aktion gegen den Hunger 2026

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