The United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) has released the full program for its 28th edition, running 16–26 October 2025 across Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Stanford University. The festival will present 60 documentary films under the theme «MESSAGES FOR THE FUTURE,» continuing UNAFF’s focus on human rights and shared global challenges.
Opening night on Thursday, 16 October, features remarks by Mayor Ed Lauing and the world premiere of An Ordinary Insanity, directed by Academy Award–nominated filmmaker #Judith Ehrlich#, which follows whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg’s efforts to prevent nuclear war. The program continues with Chip Duncan’s Stand Together as One, revisiting the legacy of «We Are The World,» and Following Harry by Susanne Rostock, an intimate portrait of the final 12 years of Harry Belafonte’s activist life.
Closing night on Sunday, 26 October, screens We Want the Funk! by #Stanley Nelson# and #Nicole London#, a survey of funk’s history and cultural legacy from African polyrhythms to James Brown, George Clinton, Labelle, and Fela Kuti.
This year’s lineup includes stories from more than two dozen countries, spanning #Afghanistan to #Zimbabwe, with four world premieres (The Burning, Exodus, An Ordinary Insanity, Soaking the Ground), 12 U.S. premieres, 17 West Coast premieres, and 10 Bay Area premieres.
UNAFF will host free public events, including seven panel discussions on topics such as climate action, criminal justice reform, healthcare and truth, social media’s impact, humanising complex politics, and «Democracy and Media in the Age of AI.» A free UNAFF & Kids session is scheduled for Saturday, 18 October.
Find more information and the complete UNAFF 2025 programme – HERE
