Take on Freedom

In Take on Freedom, you will see films about the indomitable desire for freedom – and the work it takes to achieve it.

From Ground Zero

Rashid Masharawi

Amid ongoing occupation and siege, and in the midst of a devastating war, twenty-two artists from Gaza present a mosaic of personal stories. From Ground Zero is a powerful cinematic response to the brutal reality of airstrikes, starvation, and destruction. Supported by the Mashawari Fund for films and filmmakers in Gaza, the film offers a counter-narrative to the dominant imagery of violence and statistics.

Front Row

Miriam Guttmann

Far from home, yet still united by their passion: the young dancers of the United Ukrainian Ballet Company continue their work in exile. While their homeland is ravaged by war, they find solace and strength in dance. Their discipline and perseverance are put to the test when a new dancer joins them: Oleksandr “Teren” Budko, a Ukrainian soldier who lost both lower legs in battle and is learning to move again with prosthetic limbs.

My Dear Théo

Alisa Kovalenko

A moving and personal documentary by filmmaker Alisa Kovalenko, who made a profound choice in 2022: while her partner and their four-year-old son left for France, she joined the Ukrainian army. During four months at the front, she wrote letters to her son Theo and recorded her experiences in a cinematic diary.

The Srebrenica Tape – From Dad, for Alisa

Chiara Sambuchi

In possession of a rare VHS tape shot by her father during the enclave years of Srebrenica, Alisa goes on a journey to uncover the history of her war-torn family, in search of understanding and healing. An intimate search for traces and a journey back to the enclave years of Srebrenica and the genocide of July 1995.

There is Another Way

Stephen Apkon

There is Another Way follows the members of Combatants for Peace, a movement of Israeli ex-soldiers and former Palestinian freedom fighters who unite in the pursuit of peace and reconciliation. Despite the devastating reality of violence and division, they refuse to meet hatred with hatred.

Viktor

Olivier Sarbil

A daring documentary from veteran war photographer Olivier Sarbil, offering an intimate and deeply personal portrayal of a Deaf person’s experience amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Blending rigorous reportage with an innovative cinematic approach, the film crafts an immersive audiovisual experience that mirrors its subject’s world, allowing the audience to feel the chaos and violence through Viktor’s perspective.

Yalla Parkour

Areeb Zuaiter

In her relentless pursuit of a memory that reinforces her sense of belonging, Areeb crosses paths with Ahmed, a parkour athlete in Gaza, sparking a journey where conflicting aspirations intersect. Nostalgia meets with ambition, and the weight of a confined past meets with an unpredictable future.