From Hungarian rap to the sounds of war: the One World Festival will offer the most powerful human rights stories of the year
One World has published the complete programme for the 28th edition of the festival and reaffirms that it is not just a film festival, but a space where freedom, courage and responsibility are discussed. Between 11 and 19 March it will turn Prague into a centre of human rights debates, then expand to the regions and run until 24 April. In total, it will offer 82 documentaries, 16 feature films and 8 virtual reality projects.
An opening marked by resistance and rap
The festival will open with the presentation of the Homo Homini award, which this year will go to Belarusian opposition politician and political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich. He is receiving the award for his long and unrelenting fight for democracy in Belarus - even though he is currently imprisoned again and will not receive the award in person.
The evening will culminate with the world premiere of It Was Meant to Be at the Lucerna Cinema. This raw portrait of Hungarian rapper Pogány Induló offers a generational account of pressure, fame and life in Hungary today. Both the protagonist and director Olivér Márk Tóth will be in Prague.
106 films: war, climate and intimate traumas
This year's edition comprises 106 films divided into four competition sections and eight thematic blocks. From stories from Palestine to Ukraine to reflections on authoritarian regimes, the international competition brings together testimonies from crisis areas and personal probes into the human heart.
The Czech competition focuses on domestic documentary filmmaking. It explores themes of family trauma, burnout, fear of social decline and the relationship with nature. The You Have the Right to Know section offers a glimpse into places where people have resisted power, traditions or repressive systems.
The virtual reality section also remains a significant feature. The projects allow viewers to literally "enter" situations that would otherwise remain remote - for example, the streets of Gaza, the environment of domestic violence, or the perspective of a trans woman waiting for asylum.
According to the programming team, the festival is consciously working with the theme of hope this year. Alongside heavy themes, it seeks stories of inner strength, dialogue and courage to confront injustice.
Generation Z, podcasts and an exhibition on the sounds of war
One World has long been based on debates. Most screenings are followed by discussions with filmmakers and experts, and the large hall of the Municipal Library will once again become the main debating arena. A new feature is an expanded podcast stage with live recording. Of particular interest will be a panel made up exclusively of Generation Z representatives, who will talk about insecurity, pressure to perform and fears of the future after the screening of the opening film.
For the first time, the festival will also feature a solo exhibition. The Repeat After Me 2022 project works with the soundtrack of the war in Ukraine - instead of images of destruction, it foregrounds the sounds of sirens, explosions and gunfire that remain in the memory long after the conflict has ended.
Ten years of breaking down barriers
One World also marks ten years of systematic work on accessibility. The One World for All section offers screenings adapted for people with visual or hearing impairments and gives space to filmmakers with their own experience of disability. The festival thus confirms its ambition to be truly open to all.
The programme also includes the One World in Schools platform, which brings morning screenings for primary and secondary schools. The films reflect the themes of war, the digital world, the climate crisis and women's rights and are accompanied by moderated debates.
This year's edition will take place in a record 60 cities across the Czech Republic. The traditional stops will be joined by Rumburk, Tanvald and Prachatice. Regional organizers are experimenting with formats - from large panel debates to live filming of popular podcasts.
