02/12/2022 - A total of 16 projects hailing from all over the world have been selected and are set to be presented in March 2023 during the special event held in Geneva

The fifth edition of FIFDH Impact Days, the special programme on impact strategy for documentaries at any stage of production, will take place in a hybrid format. Focusing on giving filmmakers, producers, NGOs, organisations and foundations the chance to forge potential alliances and create strategies, the programme has invited 16 projects this year. Impact Days is part of the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH), the 21^st edition of which runs from 10-19 March.

More than 110 documentary projects hailing from all around the world were submitted, and 16 of them (from 14 countries) have been picked for Impact Days 2023. The topics revolve around a vast array of current issues and include, among others, violence against women in Turkey, human trafficking in Bangladesh, asylum procedures in Switzerland, indigenous rights in Jordan, child soldiers in Yemen and reproductive rights in the Dominican Republic. Despite the diversity of topics and the areas of the world they come from, all of the selected filmmakers have something in common: a goal to improve the lives of the individuals and the communities they represent by effectively addressing the root causes of their struggles.

The activities lined up for the selected filmmakers and producers are divided into two sessions. They begin in January with the first part, the Impact Lab, an online workshop intended to help them develop their impact campaign, which will also be accessible to a large number of observers. During these sessions, a public webinar on impact production is being organised online on 19 January. Afterwards, from 13-14 March, the event will take place in Geneva, where the projects will be presented, and the participants will have a chance to both meet strategic partners and win a cash prize that will be awarded to the best project.

Here is the list of the projects selected for the fifth FIFDH Impact Days:

Concrete Land - Asmahan Bkerat (Jordan)
Producer: Ban Maraqa (Kayan Productions)
Impact producer: Abeer Bayazidi

The Dusk of the Amazon - Alvaro Sarmiento (Peru/Colombia)
Producers: Diego Sarmiento, (HDPERU, an indigenous film collective), Leiqui Uriana (Anakaa Films)
Impact producer: Diego Sarmiento

Ghost Boat - Kauser Haider, Tanim Yousuf (USA/Bangladesh)
Producers: Patrick Hamm (Bulldog Agenda), Arif Yousuf

The Hearing [+see also:
film review
film profile] - Lisa Gerig (Switzerland)
Producers: Eva Vitija, Maurizius Stärkle Drux (Ensemble Film GmbH)

Hidden Letters - Violet Du Feng (USA/Norway)
Producers: Violet Du Feng (Fish and Bear Pictures), Mette Cheng Munthe-Kaas (Ten Thousand Images), Jean Tsien, Su Kim
Impact producer: Erin Sorenson

Land of Women - Ayman El Amir, Nada Riyadh (Egypt/France/Denmark)
Producers: Ayman El Amir (Felucca Films), Marc Irhmer (Dolce Vita Films), Mette-Ann Schepelern (Magma Film)

Let’s Play Soldiers - Mariam Al-Dhubhani (Yemen)
Producer: Mohammed Al-Jaberi (Meem Square Film LLC)

Life Is Beautiful - Mohamed Jabaly (Norway)
Producer: Kristine Ann Skaret (Stray Dog Productions)
Impact producer: Sarah Winge-Sørensen (Stray Dog Productions)

My Name Is Happy [+see also:
film review
interview: Nick Read and Ayse Toprak
film profile] - Nick Read, Ayse Toprak (UK)
Producers: Nick Read (Red Zed Films), Adam Bullmore (October Films)

New Boats - Lansana Mansaray (South Africa/Sierra Leone)
Producer: Tiny Mungwe (STEPS)
Impact Producer: Adenike Hamilton

Scarlet Girls - Paula Cury (Dominican Republic/Germany)
Producers: Paula Cury, Samuel Didonato (Critale Cine), Natalia Imaz (Parabellum Film)

She - Parsifal Reparato (Italy/France)
Producers: Parsifal Reparato (AntropicA srl), Valérie Montmartin (Little Big Story)

Songs of Sisterhood - Hanna Nobis (Switzerland)
Producers: Esther van Messel (First Hand Films)

The Woman Who Poked the Leopard - Patience Nitumwesiga (South Africa/Germany/Uganda)
Producers: Rosie Motene, Natalia Imaz (Parabellum Film), Patience Nitumwesiga (SHAGIKA)

Untying the Knot - Chona Mangalindan (Philippines/UK)
Producers: Chona Mangalindan (Monsoon Films), Anne Sobel (Mediadante)

Zadvengers - Simon David, Svetlana Holzner (Switzerland)
Producer: Fanny Haussauer (Nous Prod)
Impact producer: Nadia Kaelin (Nous Prod)