The 23rd edition of the International Film Festival WATCH DOCS. Human Rights in Film is set to kick off on 1st December, marking ten days of thought-provoking cinema in Warsaw and online throughout Poland. This year’s festival boasts a programme of over 50 documentaries, blending artful storytelling with acute social awareness.
Spanning 70 screenings, the festival will feature 28 meetings with filmmakers and protagonists, alongside 8 expansive panel discussions. These panels are tailored to explore the pressing issues highlighted by the festival’s films, fostering a dialogue on human rights and social justice.
Among the esteemed guests is British documentary legend Kim Longinotto, whose latest work, Dalton’s Dream, will compete in the Main Competition section. The festival also welcomes Sinead O’Shea, director of Pray for Our Sinners, a harrowing exposé on church abuse in Ireland, and Kasia Smutniak, a renowned Polish-Italian actor and director.
This year’s Marek Nowicki Award, recognising outstanding portrayal of human rights in film, goes to filmmaker Nikolaus Geyrhalter. His recent creation, The Standstill, along with three of his earlier works, including the acclaimed Our Daily Bread, will be part of the festival’s diverse lineup.
The Main Competition section comprises twelve documentaries. Notable entries include Longinotto’s Dalton’s Dream, depicting a Jamaican pop star’s battle against homophobia and a personal creative crisis, and Mstyslav Chernov’s 20 Days in Mariupol, a raw account from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ukrainian journalist.
The Green Dog Competition, a segment dedicated to intertwining human rights and environmental issues, presents films like Deep Rising, with Jason Momoa narrating the story of deep-sea ecosystem destruction, and Grasshopper Republic, an artistic exploration of insects’ potential in future diets.
In addition to contemporary films, the festival will also feature Big Docs, a retrospective showcasing five masterpieces of socially engaged European documentary cinema. This segment aims to celebrate the works that have shaped modern documentary filmmaking.
Find more information – HERE
