FINALIST works from 8 FICNOVA 2026
The international jury, comprising non-violence activists from various cities in Argentina, Chile, Spain and Mexico, has selected 34 films from 11 countries as finalists for this year’s awards, across five categories:
Educational Institutions Section:
Primary – Secondary (4)
General Section:
Short films (18)
Medium-length films (4)
Feature-length films (8)
We recognise in all these works not only the condemnation of different forms of violence and discrimination, but also that each one offers different solutions or ways of overcoming or positively transforming these situations, steering the future towards a non-violent path.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
THE CHAIR
Directors – Clara García, Mariano Reinaldos. IES Ramón Arcas Meca (Lorca)
6 mins. Spain. 2024
Synopsis:
Don’t just sit there.
Empathy: The ability to identify with someone and share their feelings.
LAURA´S TIME
Dir: Pablo García Soria. IES Grupo Cántico. (Córdoba)
5 min. España. 2025
Laura is a school nurse who visits our secondary school once a week, for just one hour. During that time, she works with pupils on various health-related topics. But today, her visit goes beyond routine prevention and advice.
Laura es una enfermera de la escuela que visita nuestra escuela secundaria una vez a la semana, y solo por una hora. Durante ese tiempo, trabaja con estudiantes en varios temas relacionados con la salud. Pero hoy, su visita va más allá de la prevención y el asesoramiento de rutina….
CINECLUB
Dir. Estudiantes 10 y 11 años de C.E.I.P. Escuela Pública Serrería en Valencia
5 min. España. 2024
Synopsis:
CINECLUB: An association dedicated to promoting film culture, which organises screenings and discussions of selected films.
FOREIGNERS
Vittorio Caratozzolo y Clase 2 A (2022-23) (Trento)
7 min. Italia. 2023
Synopsis:
Encounter, Condition, Mastery: three perspectives on the ‘Foreigner’..
GENERAL SECTION: SHORT FILMS
LA CARCOVA
Argentina. 2025. 19 mins
Director: Ludmila Ayelén López Pérez
In the heart of José León Suárez (in the north of the Province of Buenos Aires), the La Carcova People’s Library stands as a pillar of identity and culture in a neighbourhood marked by inequality. Through the voices of its founders, workshop leaders and children, this documentary portrays the community’s resilience and the transformative power of education and art. A testament to the importance of communal spaces in the construction of memory and a sense of belonging
TAPESTRIES OF LIGHT, LIFE AND COMMUNITY IN GUATEMALA
Guatemala. 2025. 23 min.
Dir: Paula Recinos
Milvia, Magda, Virginia, Jimena, Francis and Maya share a common dream: a future of hope for their communities. They are Guatemalan women – indigenous weavers, artists, public defenders and traditional midwives – who are fighting to defend democracy, human rights and cultural heritage at a time of historic political transformation.
The film weaves together the stories of women who have spearheaded legislative initiatives, shaped national policies, fought for human rights, built collective movements and created spaces for art and activism – all in the pursuit of peace, justice, freedom and a life without fear. Their journeys reveal that the strength of their communities has been the key to their transformation.
This is a story of resilience, hope, struggle and activism, led by women who refuse to be silenced. Now more than ever, their stories must be brought to light.
LA FUERZA
España. 2025. 12 min.
Dir: Cristina Martín Barcelona – María José Martín Barcelona
Arturo has just watched “Star Wars” with his class, and they are discussing the difference between good and evil. What begins as a discussion about a film will ultimately reveal the pupils’ personalities and their own stories, whilst Arturo tries to teach them a valuable lesson.
COLLECTIVES IN FEMININE
México. 2025. 11 min
Dir: Mariana Barreto del Rello
In Toluca, Mexico, a vibrant feminist movement is transforming lives. “Collectives in Feminine” immerses us in the world of activists who work tirelessly for gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Through powerful testimonies, we will hear the stories of women who have come together to tackle the challenges they face on a daily basis. From the fight against gender-based violence to the pursuit of economic autonomy, these collectives are working on multiple fronts to build a fairer and more equitable future.
By shedding light on the work of these collectives, the documentary aims to inspire other women to join the feminist movement and build support networks. Furthermore, it invites society as a whole to reflect on the importance of gender equality and to take action to eradicate inequalities.
COLLECTIVE MEMORY
Perú. 2025. 15 min.
Dir. Cristina Colmenares
In 1983, during the darkest days of the armed conflict in Peru, masked soldiers broke into Adelina’s home and took her husband away by force. She would never see him again.
After encountering silence and contempt from the police and the army, Adelina joins forces with the many other women who lost their husbands and sons at the hands of soldiers who were supposed to protect them. Together, they will unite to find them and demand justice.
THOSE OF US WHO SURVIVED
Spain. Kenia. Uganda. 2025. 25 min.
Dir. Itxaso Díaz
‘Those of Us Who Survived’ is an ensemble story that reveals the experiences and consequences that sexual violence has on women’s lives.
Six intertwined life stories that exemplify the strength and determination of these survivors to defend their dignity, overcome their ordeal and rebuild their lives.
Six stories that challenge us to take strong and effective action to eradicate this violence, which women and girls systematically experience in contexts of war. Because of the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators, brutality becomes entrenched in society and part of everyday life.
How much longer will we allow this to continue?
EMILIA
Spain. 2025. 20 min.
Dir: Rafa Arroyo
Flaws in the Spanish state’s care system leave thousands of undocumented migrants on the streets every year when they reach the age of majority. Emilia Lozano, a tireless activist for human rights and the feminist movement, in her ongoing struggle for social justice, redefines the concept of family for many of them through love, empathy and solidarity.
123 SEMILLAS DE NIM
España – Kenia. 2025. 29 min.
Dir: Adrián Buenaventura
‘123 Neem Seeds’ is a documentary about the lives of 123 boys and girls living in a school for children with disabilities in Lamu, one of the poorest areas in Kenya. Through the eyes of Lourdes Méndez (Zaragoza), field coordinator for the Aragonese NGO “BeSocial”, and the key figures at the schools – such as James, Madame Farida, Shindo and Madame Priscah – the documentary delves into the everyday reality of the children with disabilities supported by the NGO. The support provided includes food, education, hospital care and physiotherapy. This is changing the lives of these children and also helping to free them from the stigma they have faced since birth. The documentary, directed and produced by Adrián Buenaventura, was filmed entirely in Kenya.
A SOLAS CON FARID
España. 2025. 25 min.
Dir: Alberto Ortega
Farid, a young migrant in Spain, joins the Red Cross as a volunteer to combat loneliness. There he meets Rosalía, a retired journalist who gives him an old radio transmitter, sparking memories of his father and his love of storytelling. Inspired, Farid creates a community radio programme to bring his neighbourhood together. Although the launch is a bit of a let-down with an empty square, Rosalía encourages him and rallies the community. Little by little, the programme gains popularity and transforms the square into a meeting place, demonstrating the power of unity and the community impact of radio.
AMINATA
España. 2024. 12 min.
Dir: Marta López Plaza
Amina Souko set up her own organisation, Red Aminata, with the aim of helping and supporting African women living in Spain, to combat female genital mutilation, human trafficking and abuse against them. This is something she experienced herself, and through this network of women she is striving to ensure that other women and their daughters do not have to suffer the same fate. It is a small solidarity project through which she hopes to inspire others to follow in her footsteps, so that there will be more women more ‘Aminatas’ helping other African women.
DISSONANCE
Dir: Raquel Larrosa
España. 2025. 25 min.
Fatimetu Bucharaya is a Sahrawi woman who, in 2019, founded SMAWT, a voluntary women’s organisation dedicated to detecting anti-personnel mines in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf (Algeria)
THE STORY OF TILO
Panamá. 2025. 4 min.
Dir: Roberto Villafane
The Story of Tilo tackles the issue of child sexual abuse with sensitivity and symbolism. Through the eyes of a boy with a flowerpot for a head – whose plant reveals and expresses his inner world – the story immerses us in an environment where silence carries more weight than words. An unexpected friendship, an act of courage and a flower that blooms in the most unlikely of places open the door to a truth that has long been silenced and repressed. What happens when a child finally plucks up the courage to speak out?
Listening can save a life. Abuse can be overcome and, most importantly, it can be prevented.
LETTERS TO AUNT MARCELINA
Brasil. 2024. 25 min.
Dir: João Macena
“Cartas a tía Marcelina” explores the story of Aunt Marcelina, a victim of the iyalorixá during the Quebra de Xangô of 1912 (Xangô Revolt), one of the most violent episodes of religious intolerance in Brazil. Through testimonies from religious leaders, historians and cultural representatives, the documentary reflects on the consequences of this persecution of African religions and highlights the role of the Xango Rezado Alto event as a symbol of resistance and the struggle for religious freedom in Alagoas. With a sensitive and engaging narrative, the film weaves together artistic performances and interviews to offer an in-depth insight into the historical significance of Aunt Marcelina and her connection to the preservation of Afro-Brazilian cultural identity, inviting the audience to reflect on religious intolerance and the appreciation of diversity.
NIKA, THE TROPICAL CALDERON
España. 2024. 30 min.
Dir: José Hernández
“Nika, the tropical calderon”, It is a short documentary in which Felipe Ravina, a documentary-maker, scientist and graduate in Marine Sciences, forms a bond with a pilot whale named Nika on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands).
This unusual bond with the animal is causing him growing concern about the current state of the island and its biodiversity. He makes a passionate plea for the protection, conservation and defence of the natural habitats and wildlife in this outermost region, home to the largest population of tropical pilot whales, unique in the world
WATER. ANTIOQUÍA.
Colombia. 2024. 16 min.
Dir: Diego Morabello
Progress is being made in the reintegration of the peace signatories in the region, who, through various initiatives, are effectively integrating into civil society. La Quiebra is an example of how the peace signatories are committed to ecotourism and peaceful coexistence, just as Memorias Comunes is doing with urban tourism. Furthermore, for the first time, efforts are being made to trace missing LGBTIQ+ people, highlighting all the challenges and difficulties involved.
REFUGEE WOMEN ON STAGE. EXILE, MEMORY, PEACE
España. 2024. 30 min.
Dir: Sergi Tarín Galán
The Collective of Refugee, Exiled and Migrant Women, founded in 2004 in Alicante, has become a leading voice in raising awareness of the struggles of Colombian women human rights defenders in exile. Among the many tools they use to analyse their cross-border reality, theatre stands out, particularly through the play “Mujeres Eres”. Theatre as a healing art, which, following the principles and techniques of the Theatre of the Oppressed, seeks to bring to light their grief, their moments of hope and their reinventions as women, social leaders, exiles and, quite simply, survivors. A multifaceted perspective that serves to denounce the effects of war in their country of origin and the violation of their rights as women and migrants in their host countries. An impact felt on two levels which, nevertheless, does not halt the course of their struggles and their hopes. This is the story of some powerful women whom neither war nor exile can make bow their heads.
SOWN BY WOMEN
Colombia. 2025. 4 min.
Dir: Angie Osorio Cadena
Palestinian women have sown seeds of resistance, nurtured and healed throughout their history. They have built shelters, documented and recorded, organised and woven networks. Women whose very existence is an act of resistance.
IN OUR HANDS
Italia. 2024. 4 min.
Dir: Camillo Sancisi
In 1983, a lieutenant in command of an early-warning base receives an alert from the satellite defence system. Five nuclear warheads are heading towards his territory. The attack is unexpected, but the data appears reliable. The protocol is clear: should he launch a deadly retaliatory strike? Based on a true story.
GENERAL SECTION: MID-LENGTH FILMS
WHAT WORDS HIDE
España. 2025. 66 min
Dir: José María Borrell Balsells
This documentary explores micro-violence – or subtle forms of violence – that affect children, particularly in so-called welfare societies, where such behaviour often goes unnoticed. We are talking, for example, about situations where words cause hurt, even when we do not intend to. It also addresses issues such as academic and social pressure, unfiltered access to digital content and overexposure to violence in virtual environments – factors that can have a serious impact on children’s emotional and mental health.
Far from merely offering a diagnosis, the documentary proposes a transformative approach, with practical solutions and the active involvement of adults. Through inspiring examples of communities and institutions that create safe and respectful spaces, it seeks to motivate everyone, regardless of their role, to take action for a childhood that is better protected and valued.
The overarching aim is to promote a shift in mindset that translates into concrete actions towards a more aware, fair and committed society when it comes to children’s rights. Because true well-being is not measured solely in terms of material comforts: it also requires respect, understanding and genuine support.
BARÇA BARSAK – La ruta Atlántica
Alemania. 2025. 30 min.
Dir: Leon Scheffold
The Atlantic migration route runs from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands. The crossing is one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world. According to non-governmental organisations, nearly 10,000 people may have lost their lives in 2024, whilst the official figure is ten times lower.
Your Adventure Yard ( YAY )
Dir: Jale İncekol
45 min. Turquía. 2024
Following a powerful earthquake that struck the region on 6 February 2023, causing widespread destruction in Hatay and the surrounding areas, a construction worker, Nedim Buğral, together with a team of volunteers, set up several playgrounds across Hatay to provide children with safe spaces for recreation and recovery.
The project, called “Your Adventure Yard (YAY)”, was inspired by the “free-play” approach developed in Europe after…
WOMEN OF RESILIENCE
Alemania. 2025. 54 min.
Dir. Andreas Rochholl, Sebastian Leitner
Stories of Kurdish identity: Two former Kurdish female guerrilla fighters reconnect over their shared history and their decision to leave the movement in order to fight for Kurdish freedom in a different, non-violent way. A story of resistance against the suppression of one’s own voice and culture. It is also the story of an irreversible and personal decision to give up everything, and of the courage of women who, like thousands of other young women, went ‘to the mountains’… only to leave it all behind years later, swapping weapons for art and activism.
GENERAL SECTION: FEATURE FILMS
THE EYES OF THE FUTURE
España. 2025. 66 min
Dir: José María Borrell Balsells
“The Eyes of the Future” explores the impact of African immigration on Europe, analysing the roots of this phenomenon, the reasons behind these migratory flows and, above all, the experiences of those who arrive in search of a new beginning. From cultural and linguistic barriers to opportunities for integration through education and local support, the documentary examines the challenges of adapting to a society that they often find complex and hostile, offering a reflection on how our society treats African immigrants arriving in our country and on the future that this holds for us.
A DOS VELAS
España. 2025. 61min.
Dir: Agustín Toranzo
In the summer of 2021, the hottest of the century to date, the electricity company Endesa punished Seville’s working-class neighbourhoods with indiscriminate power cuts, accusing residents of stealing electricity.
MOHANAS. RESISTANCE, MEMORY, PEACE
España. 2024. 60 min
Dir: Sergi Tarín
The Popular Women’s Organisation (OFP), now in its 52nd year, is one of Colombia’s oldest women’s associations. Through pacifism and grassroots feminism, it has confronted the war in one of the country’s most turbulent regions, the Magdalena Medio, a natural department of which the oil-producing city of Barrancabermeja is the capital. The OFP, in its work to defend human rights, has developed a wide range of strategies. Of particular note are the Women’s Centres in the various municipalities along the banks of the Magdalena River, where women are offered psychological and legal support, as well as assistance with housing and food sovereignty. Furthermore, between 2002 and 2006 – the height of the armed conflict – the programme *La Mohana* was broadcast; its historical archive enables a dialogue to be established between images of today’s social leaders and those of the past. And the radio station La Mohana, the successor to the long-running television programme and a voice for the feminist struggle in a region where the old warlords are once again rearming themselves in earnest.
WE MISS SINAR
México. 2025. 65 min.
Dir: Andrés Alarcón Nandayapa
Through the use of archive footage and testimonies, it aims to highlight the critical situation faced by human rights defenders in the country; and to commemorate the life and work of the social activist Sinar Corzo Esquinca, who was the first human rights defender to be murdered in Mexico in 2019.
SHRINKING SPACE
España. 2025. 79 min.
Dir: Norma Nebot
Juana Ruiz, an aid worker from Madrid, was imprisoned by Israel between 2021 and 2022. Her story had a huge impact in Spain, where funds were raised and dozens of demonstrations were organised to secure her release. What did this mean? How did she manage to be released?
“The international impunity pains me,” Ruiz reflects in the documentary. “The Spanish government supported me, but they even told me they wouldn’t sever diplomatic relations over me.”
We now know that her case was not the only one. In recent years, Israel has outlawed and persecuted the main social and aid movements in Palestine.
A team of Catalan documentary-makers travelled to the region to gather previously unseen archive material and personal recordings, and to film in the West Bank just before the conflict escalated.
*Espacio menguante* examines the role of the United States and Europe, as well as the arbitrary imprisonment of Palestinian children.
The documentary combines analysis with an intimate portrait of Palestinian activists, who honestly share their doubts and contradictions with us… and help us to better understand one of the most significant conflicts of this century.
NEYEN MAPU. THE CALL OF THE LANÍN
Argentina. 2025. 60min.
Dir: Mara Rocío Collinao
A Mapuche documentary offering a deeply spiritual and political perspective on the importance of restoring the environmental balance around the Lanín volcano. It shares ancestral knowledge with society as a whole and challenges it to protect this territory in the face of the spread of extractive tourism.
FISH WITHOUT A WING
España. 2024. 74 min.
Dir: Esperanza Jorge, Inmaculada Antolínez.
Along the Honduran migration route, one hears the litany of the brief, precise stories told by those searching for their loved ones, recounting disappearances whilst carrying a photograph and reciting a date, a place and a name. The borders try to slow their momentum, but they struggle on and press forward. On the return journey, some bring back sand, others a coffin, and others a daughter (broken on the way and scarred long before, much earlier).
VIEQUES. A LIVING ARCHIVE
Estados Unidos. 2024. 88 min.
Dir: Juan Carlos Rodríguez
In a gripping and unpredictable 20-year quest, Juan Carlos Rodríguez tells the moving story of Vieques. Through personal memories, community voices and archive footage, the film highlights the profound hardships endured by the people of Vieques both before and after the departure of the US Navy in 2003. It highlights the serious health crisis facing Vieques over the years.
