Strong Women, Unforgettable Stories
This year’s festival shines a light on women who refuse to fade into the background. Across eras, countries, and family histories, the films in our lineup celebrate women who make bold choices, shoulder impossible burdens, and quietly reshape the world around them. These are stories of love, resistance, ambition, and survival. Stories where women are not supporting characters in someone else’s journey, but the force that drives the narrative forward.
For the Love of a Woman is a sweeping, emotionally rich story anchored by a woman whose choices define her destiny. Her journey through love and identity is both deeply personal and universally resonant, capturing the courage it takes to follow one’s heart in a world full of expectations.
In Labors of Love, audiences are introduced to the extraordinary story of Henrietta Szold, a trailblazer whose vision and compassion helped reshape Jewish life and social responsibility. As the founder of Hadassah and a tireless advocate for education, healthcare, and children’s welfare, Szold’s strength was rooted in purpose and action. This film brings her remarkable legacy to life, celebrating a woman who transformed care into leadership and idealism into lasting change.
Once Upon My Mother is a joyful, heartwarming family saga set in 1970s Paris, led by the unforgettable force of Esther Perez. Bold, loving, and utterly unstoppable, Esther refuses to let anything stand in the way of her son Roland’s future, not even his limitations or the limitations others place before him. Her fierce devotion and boundless optimism power this triumphant celebration of unconditional love, honoring a mother whose strength turns obstacles into possibilities and whose belief changes everything.
With Sabotage, the festival presents a harrowing and unforgettable story of survival and resistance. This powerful documentary uncovers the true story of four Jewish women, unsung heroes of Auschwitz, who risked everything to sabotage the Nazi war machine. In January 1945, they secretly smuggled gunpowder to the Sonderkommandos, helping destroy one of the crematoria. Subjected to brutal torture, none betrayed their comrades, and all were publicly executed. Through a striking blend of archival footage, survivor testimony, and animation, Sabotage honors an extraordinary, little-known act of courage and resilience, ensuring these women’s bravery is finally seen, remembered, and celebrated.
Rounding out the lineup, Tatami delivers a riveting portrayal of strength under pressure. Set in the intense world of international competition, the film follows a woman forced to make an impossible choice. Her story is a powerful reminder that standing up for your values can be the greatest victory of all.
Together, these films offer a powerful mosaic of womanhood. They remind us that strength takes many forms: tenderness, endurance, rebellion, memory, and resolve. This festival celebrates women who love fiercely, fight bravely, and live authentically, on screen and beyond.