The Mother and the Bear

Each film in the selection for FFD 2025 Competition program is recognized not only for its technical or aesthetic achievements, rather for its ability to ignite questions. These films give birth to knots in a larger conversation about the direction contemporary documentaries are moving in. What new forms are being tested at the intersection of the personal and the political? What ethical urgencies are the filmmakers trying to renegotiate when dealing with their protagonists?

Coming from different corners of cities and regions we may never have heard of before, this year’s Competition documentaries loudly express the spectrum of urgencies that the world is facing. In daring fashion, they challenge conventions and redefine the very meaning of documentary. In this regard, the FFD 2025 Competition strives to surpass its function as a ring to be a participatory listening booth.

From the diverse entries, this year’s selection process sifted through works with the most relevant, urgent, and diverse ideas. We aim to present a range of documentaries rich in method, texture, and perspective, reflecting the diversity of cinematic practices in today’s documentary ecosystem. From the observational to the poetic, from research-based to personal intimacy, the works in this program offer a starting point for unraveling the knots in conversations that will hopefully never end.

–Gerry Junus