5 — 15.06.2026 Bologna
IT
Festival Industry Campus

Contemporary Lives

About the section

The section that reflects plurality through the most contemporary and universal themes presents twelve stories of urgency and transformation this year. Investigations into reality, twelve collective stories that help us understand and discover, listen and observe, between slowed heartbeats and magnifying lenses. The films in this section compete for the Manifesto Award, presented to the best film with social impact.

Films in section

First feature Italian premiere
American Doctor

Contemporary Lives

American Doctor

Poh Si Teng / 93' / 2026 / Doc

International premiere Second feature
Christiania

Contemporary Lives

Christiania

Karl Friis Forchhammer / 94' / 2026 / Doc

Italian premiere
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Contemporary Lives

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Audun Amundsen / 102' / 2025 / Doc

Italian premiere
Elements of(f) Balance

Contemporary Lives

Elements of(f) Balance

Othmar Schmiderer / 98' / 2025 / Doc

Italian premiere
Hungry

Contemporary Lives

Hungry

Susanne Brandstaetter / 95' / 2026 / Doc / Fiction

International premiere First feature
Liberated Space

Contemporary Lives

Liberated Space

Vanessa Christoffers-Trinks, Katrin Stahrenberg / 86' / 2025 / Doc

International premiere First feature
London Boys

Contemporary Lives

London Boys

Arun Nangla, Laura Pavone / 88' / 2025 / Doc

Italian premiere
Menopause Mystery

Contemporary Lives

Menopause Mystery

Louise Unmack Kjeldsen / 75' / 2026 / Doc

World premiere
Spirit Animal

Contemporary Lives

Spirit Animal

Yuri Pirondi, Inês von Bonhorst / 96' / 2026 / Doc

First feature Italian premiere
Standby

Contemporary Lives

Standby

Daphne van den Blink / 70' / 2025 / Doc

Italian premiere
The Desert of the Real

Contemporary Lives

The Desert of the Real

Luuk Bouwman / 108' / 2025 / Doc

Italian premiere
Watching People Watching Birds

Contemporary Lives

Watching People Watching Birds

Michael Loeken, Ulrike Franke / 90' / 2026 / Doc