WOMEN

Director: Lora Arkhypenko

Year: 2025

Not just a film about war or emigration, but a story about a generation growing up between two worlds, learning to find its place in a new reality while holding on to its roots. It is also a story of a mother’s love - steadfast, nurturing and unwavering - as she stands by her child through uncertainty, offering reassurance, strength and a sense of belonging wherever they go. The sequel to the documentary film WOMEN delves into the lives of Ukrainian children who fled their homeland with their mothers because of the war. Three years have passed since they began adapting to life in the UK. How has the war changed them? What have they lost and what have they gained in their new home? Through the stories of Mariia, Sonya, Manya and Timofii, the film explores how children experience emigration, build new lives, integrate into society and dream about their futures. The film offers insight into the strength of family bonds, cultural identity and the resilience of young minds. The deep connection between mother and child is the heart of this film, showing how love becomes the anchor that helps them navigate life between two worlds.

Director: Jake J Smith

Year: 2026

For the first time in 30 years, a film crew gains rare access to Pennsylvania’s maximum-security women’s prisons. Inside, The Lady Lifers – a band led by former soul singer Naomi Blount – turn grief into music and defiance. Though Naomi never took a life, she is serving life without parole. To have any hope of freedom, she must express guilt she does not feel – a cruel paradox of the justice system. As her music echoes beyond the prison walls and reaches the public, lawmakers and activists, the question remains: Will her voice be enough to finally set her free - and to free those she left behind? Official Selection Durban International Film Festival 2026

Director: Pamela Ryder

Year: 2026

A kind hearted, working class volunteer dons the Santa suit each year, quietly transforming his community through simple acts of generosity, testing whether his belief in giving can inspire others to carry the magic forward.