Festival
Schedule
6:00 pm | Kinoteka 3
“Women’s issues are fundamental questions that permeate everything”. Vibeke Løkkeberg’s documentary of the first International Women’s Film Seminar in 1973 retains its political urgency, offering a timeless reflection on gender equality—and its absence—and on representation.
8:30 pm | Kinoteka 3
A story of resilience. Mambar raises her children, cares for her mother, and runs a business, standing as a voice of a generation that endures life’s hardships while resisting patriarchal oppression. Despite the challenges, she meets them with calm strength, drawing support from the bonds she shares with the women in her community.
6:00 pm | Kinoteka 3
Girl, woman, student, activist, friend, mother, daughter, traveler — four protagonists and nearly infinite identities. They studied in New York, and over the course of a decade the director captures their coming of age, crafting a hopeful portrait of sisterhood, identity, and the fight for the future.
8:30 pm | Kinoteka 3
What role does education play in the fight for equality? Since 15 August 2021, when the Taliban took power, Manizha Bakhtari, the last Afghan ambassador, has been fighting for the rights of women and girls. The film follows her covert efforts and explores courage, diplomacy, and solidarity under extreme political conditions.
6:00 pm | Kinoteka 2
Punk: Austrian Experimental Cinema
Short films set by now-iconic feminist artists, as well as younger generations.
6:00 pm | Kinoteka 3
Rosinha and the Other Wild Animals
“Portugal is not a racist country” — this film deconstructs that statement, tracing memories from the early 20th century and the life story of Rosinhia from Guinea. Piece by piece, it exposes the face of “soft racism”, restoring the protagonist’s voice, agency, and rightful place in history.
8:00 pm | Kinoteka 2
With humor and determination, Azza fights for her independence in Saudi Arabia. She cleverly wins her divorce, teaches women to drive, and sets off into the desert—into her country and herself. A story of rebellion, self-discovery, and maternal devotion in a society that denies women freedom.
8:45 pm | Kinoteka 3
The film immerses the audience in the mountainous landscape of Chiapas—humid, vibrant, and full of textures and sounds. Sheep, wool, braided hair, and the colors of traditional garments create a choreography of life at the foot of the mountain, where Tsotsil women teach how to honor the land and preserve the memory of their territory.
5:00 pm | Kinoteka 3
A visual diary of illness, loss, and healing interwoven with the story of a planet in crisis. Nicole grapples with a mysterious illness that reshapes her life and that of her children. Through archival footage, animation, and the poetry of everyday moments, the film explores the connections between personal suffering and the state of the planet, uncovering new sources of hope and resilience.
6:00 pm | Kinoteka 2
A poignant, essayistic exploration of identity that reaches beyond Ukraine’s borders. Four generations of Ukrainian women from one family confront how the full-scale Russian invasion has shattered their ethnic identity, embarking on an emotional journey through family memories and history.
8:30 pm | Kinoteka 2
Glitch: Austrian Experimental Cinema
Short films set by now-iconic feminist artists, as well as younger generations.
8:30 pm | Kinoteka 3
A journey through the United States, where “The Second Sex” first took shape, becomes an opportunity to revisit Simone de Beauvoir’s groundbreaking work, illuminated by reflections from contemporary feminist theorists examining its impact and limitations.
4:00 pm | Kinoteka 3
“Is a reality full of care and tenderness possible?” asks the director, as she films the stories of four people performing invisible work for a better world. Their moving testimonies form a narrative of the “tenderness revolution,” evoked by Olga Tokarczuk in her Nobel lecture.
6:00 pm | Kinoteka 2
Canale Grande: Austrian Experimental Cinema
One of the hidden masterpieces of Austrian cinema, a perfect example of subversive cinematography.
6:30 pm | Kinoteka 3
Since their secret ordinations on the Danube in 2002, women priests in the Catholic Church have been challenging the Vatican, demanding an end to misogyny. For the first time, they succeeded in opening a dialogue with the Vatican, compelling cardinals and the pope to take a stance on the prohibited ordination of women.
8:30 pm | Kinoteka 2
Traces: Austrian Experimental Cinema
Short films set by now-iconic feminist artists, as well as younger generations.
8:30 pm | Kinoteka 3
Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
Intimate images, archival material, and innovative interpretations of Nikki Giovanni’s poetry come together in a film that transcends the traditional biography. A journey through time and space reveals the enduring impact of one of America’s most outstanding living artists and social commentators.
4:00 pm | Kinoteka 2
Experiment in cinema – how it’s done in Europe
Opening debate of the special section “Punk, glitch, traces: Austrian experimental cinema”
9:00 pm | Złota Milonga Klub Tanga Argentyńskiego
Another edition of Tenderness is ahead of us – the performative evening accompanying HER Docs Film Festival – a celebration of feminist non-fiction cinema. Free entry!
6:45 pm | Kinoteka 2
Debate – Between Loss and Hope: Mental Health in the Face of the Climate Crisis
A debate after the screening of The Unfixing with the film director Nicole Betancourt.