Between February 13 and 20, the team of the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival attended the 76th Berlinale to take part in professional programs and meetings, engage with the international film community, and begin preparations for the 23rd Verzió Film Festival.
The intensive week — filled with screenings, discussions, and industry events — proved not only inspiring but also instrumental in shaping the first contours of the 2026 program.
Our experience at the Berlinale extended beyond the discovery of individual works. Clear thematic and formal tendencies emerged, pointing toward the evolving directions of contemporary documentary cinema. This year’s selection placed strong emphasis on pressing social issues and the multifaceted dimensions of the ecological crisis. Many films approached their subjects through bold, at times divisive formal strategies, while others relied on heightened intimacy and deeply personal perspectives.
Rather than merely reflecting on present-day challenges, these works actively contributed to shaping the discourse around them. Escalating armed conflicts, the climate crisis, political polarization, and questions of identity featured prominently throughout the program. Once again, documentary film demonstrated its ability to respond to a rapidly changing world with both sensitivity and courage — whether through radical formal gestures or through intimate, character-driven storytelling.
In addition to our curatorial work, as an active member of the Doc Around Europe festival network, we participated as co-organizers at the prestigious European Film Market, contributing to the realization of two professional events within the framework of DocSalon.
The panel discussion titled Data on Impact, Please! Essential Needs in Non-Fiction Financing brought together renowned European film professionals to examine the validation of documentary film financing through the lens of data and measurable impact.
This was followed by an informal DocSalon Apéro Co-Hosted by Doc Around Europe networking event, bringing together emerging European filmmakers who have taken part in the festival network’s programs in recent years.