This year’s Verzió slogan reflects both the growing uncertainty surrounding the authenticity of images and the documentary form itself, whose role is becoming increasingly important at a time when it is harder than ever to tell what is real in what we see on our screens. This year, the question also has a historical significance: the term “documentary value” was first used in 1926, exactly one hundred years ago. The films presented here encourage us to think critically while remaining open to what we see.

 

Through an extraordinary variety of subjects, 80 films from 40 countries reveal the beauty, joys, sorrows and challenges of our world. Verzió’s mission is not simply to report on human rights or give voice to the climate crisis and the horrors of war. One of the values we hold most dear is the opportunity to explore these issues together as a community, and to find possible solutions or inspiration for addressing problems that affect many of us, if not all of us.

 

Verzió is also about extraordinary encounters and the feeling of being here and now. This is particularly true of the international documentaries that will not be available to see anywhere else after the festival. Between 16 and 25 November, you will have the opportunity to meet the filmmakers behind more than 40 films in person at Q&A sessions following the screenings.