POLL: One film and a seat beside you. What do the people behind One World film festival recommend?
The One World (Jeden svet) programme is out, and tickets are now on sale. Which film should you choose? The people behind the festival shared their picks—and who they’d like to have beside them at the cinema.
The 27th edition of the One World International Documentary Film Festival, taking place from 20 to 25 October in cinemas across Bratislava, will take us to protests on the streets of Sweden, into the homes of Palestinian families and deep into the Brazilian rainforest. Documentary films can draw us away from the everyday rush for a while and show us the world from perspectives we rarely get to see.
The full programme is now available at www.jedensvet.sk. But how do you choose what to watch? If you can’t catch every film, let the One World team guide you. We gave the festival organisers a tough task: to pick just one film from the entire programme that they wouldn’t want to miss.
We also added a more personal question. Since this year’s festival theme is BONDS—those that tie us down and hold us back, as well as those that connect and support us—we wanted to know who they would like beside them at the cinema for their chosen film. Some would invite their loved ones, others people whose views differ from their own. And one bond came in the form of a dog’s lead.
Poll
1. If you could choose just one film from the entire One World programme, which would it be and why?Ak by si si z celého programu Jedného sveta mala vybrať jeden jediný film, ktorý by to bol a prečo práve ten?
2. This year’s festival theme is bonds—those that tie us down and those that bring us together. Who would you like beside you at the cinema for this film, and what bond do you share?
Eva Križková, Festival Director
1. Traces
This film bears witness. It is an oral history of women whose lives were almost destroyed by sexual violence used as a weapon by the Russian army. Traces is not a conventional film narrative; it is evidence of war crimes and, at the same time, a very tangible act of self-defence that these women have undertaken with director Alisa Kovalenko’s guidance. And here is the key part: Alisa will attend the screening in person. She is a director, a soldier and a survivor herself. After the screening, you will have the chance to ask her questions, share your own impressions or testimony, or even give her a hug.
2. With all my fellow citizens who think, say and post on social media that Ukrainians should surrender to Russia for the sake of peace. I don’t believe any of them would say that to Alisa Kovalenko’s face, or to any of the women featured in her film. Because, ultimately, we are all connected by the bond of our shared humanity.
Anna Jacková, Communication Coordinator
1. Everybody to Kenmure Street
A beautiful film about one community’s collective resistance. When local residents learn that two of their neighbours on Kenmure Street in Glasgow are about to be deported, they spontaneously gather in front of the van. More neighbours and activists gradually join them, forming an eight-hour blockade that attracts the attention of both Scottish and international media. The film weaves together authentic footage from the day with powerful re-enactments featuring actress and executive producer Emma Thompson, as well as Kate Dickie. The documentary also explores the history of Kenmure Street, connecting it to Glasgow’s colonial past—a subject Slovak audiences probably know little about.
In a nutshell, Everybody to Kenmure Street is a film about solidarity, the strength of community and how protesting together can make a difference. The documentary won the Special Jury Award for Civil Resistance at Sundance—and deservedly so. It is a film that will leave you feeling that, even in this polarised world, things may not be quite so bleak after all. There is a reason we included it in One World’s Life Is Beautiful section.
2. The honorary president of the One World festival, who also happens to be my dog, Dáško. Most often, we are connected by a lead, but we also frequently share the sofa and the bed. Kino Lumière is dog-friendly, so the president can’t wait to enjoy the cinema’s soft carpets.
Katarína Gališinová, Film Programming and Film Programme Coordination
1. One in a Million
The documentary One in a Million is a deeply personal and compelling film about growing up and searching for a home. It begins when its protagonist, Israa, is just eleven years old and leaves Syria with her family in search of a safe life in Germany. The film follows her story over an incredible ten years. It is fascinating to watch Israa grow up, her family relationships change and her family fall apart, while she remains true to herself throughout.
Israa keeps asking herself: Where do I belong? Where is my home? As a young mother, she returns to her hometown of Aleppo and realises how fortunate she is not to have had to flee the war with her child, as her parents did with her ten years earlier. Our programming team unanimously agreed that the film speaks a universal language that will resonate with everyone, and that we wanted to make it accessible to all, including deaf and blind audiences.
The person I would most like beside me at the cinema is my friend from Somalia, whose inner strength reminds me so much of Israa’s.
Michaela Kolláriková, One World at Schools
1. A Fox Under a Pink Moon
The film tells the story of Soraya, a young Afghan artist who spends five years trying to leave Iran to join her mother in Austria and escape an abusive marriage. What makes it especially remarkable is how it was made: director Mehrdad Oskouei directed remotely, while Soraya documented her own life on her mobile phone. Her intimate, raw self-portrait is interwoven with visual art and dance, giving expression to her inner world.
For me, however, this film is deeply personal. Through my work, I have long been meeting people like Soraya—incredibly talented and strong individuals whose life experiences can seem far removed from those of most people in Europe. Yet they live right here among us, are our neighbours and help shape Bratislava today. All too often, their voices are overlooked and their stories go unheard.
That is precisely why, together with our youth programming team, we selected A Fox Under a Pink Moon as one of One World’s recommendations for young audiences. It will also be part of the schools programme at Kino Lumière in Bratislava. I believe that Soraya’s authentic story, made even more powerful by her presence and the discussion after the screening, can be immensely enriching, especially for young people. It is an important opportunity to break down unfounded fears of the unfamiliar and pave the way for new relationships and understanding in our city.
2. I would like to have the friends I have met through my work beside me at the cinema. Our shared solidarity grew into strong personal bonds, which gradually developed into deep friendships. They come from Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria, Iran and other parts of the world, and they constantly remind me that, however far away we come from, each of us lives a life as complex as anyone else’s, with everyday joys and worries.
Ľubica Dekanová, Administration Coordinator
1. Queens of Joy
Queens of Joy is a powerful and moving portrait of courage, identity and human resilience in wartime. The film offers a unique glimpse into the lives of Ukrainian drag queens who, despite uncertainty and danger, are determined to fight for their right to be themselves. They remind us that even in the hardest of times, joy can be a form of resistance. If you enjoy authentic stories about strong personalities, Queens of Joy is not to be missed.
2. For this film—or any other in the One World programme—I would like to have my two sisters beside me. We share a strong sisterly bond and a love of film. Over the years, we have experienced many powerful screenings and film festivals together, often spending hours at the cinema. They are the people I most enjoy sharing my impressions with, and our discussions often continue long after the credits have rolled.
Experience One World Together
One World takes place from 20 to 25 October 2026 at Kino Lumière. Alongside Cinepasses, tickets for individual screenings are now on sale.
Making the cinema accessible helps us enjoy films together. That is why One World offers selected films with audio description for blind and partially sighted audiences or subtitles for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. You can find films with these accessibility features using the filters in the festival catalogue.
If Bratislava is too far away or you prefer watching from the comfort of home, selected films will also be available online within Slovakia from 26 October to 1 November.
The festival’s main organiser is the non-profit organisation People in Peril.
