This years CPH:DOX festival theme was human rights, civil rights and international rights - right down our alley. Here are THE WHY's favourites:

2000 Meters to Andriivka

Mstyslav Chernov

This deeply moving documentary shook us to the core. 2000 Meters to Andriivka offers a rare, unfiltered perspective on the war in Ukraine, placing viewers right on the frontlines. Through a gripping mix of bodycam footage and on-the-ground visuals, the film immerses us in the harsh realities faced by both soldiers and civilians. An emotional tension runs during the whole film: the soldiers’ hope for victory set against the tragic outcomes we, as viewers, now know. It’s this bittersweet contrast that stays with you long after the credits roll, making this film a powerful reminder that this war is still unfolding, right now.

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Flophouse America

Monica Strømdahl

Mikal is a teenager living in the US. He stays up late playing video games, argues with his parents and avoids his daily chore of washing the dishes. That sounds like a normal teenage life, but for Mikal it isn’t. He lives in a hotel room with his alcoholic parents. He washes the dishes in the bathtub and listens to his mom’s drunken ravings through the thin curtain that separates his part of the room from his parent’s part. This film is a heart wrenching glimpse of modern day poverty and its traumatising effects on the upcoming generation.  

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Writing Hawa

Najiba Noori & Rasul Noori

When Hawa was 13 years old, she was forced to marry a man 30 years older than her. She never went to school, but later in life, she begins to learn how to read and write, and even starts her own small business. At first, the film gives a feeling of hope and change. It shows how one woman can begin a new chapter, even after a difficult life. But from the beginning, the audience knows that something tragic is coming. When the Taliban returns to power, all of Hawa’s progress is lost and the rights of Afghan women disappear almost overnight. By focusing on one family’s story within a larger historical context, Writing Hawa reminds us of how fragile freedom can be.

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Facing War

Tommy Gulliksen

​​Facing War follows Jens Stoltenberg, in his final year as Secretary General of NATO. Russia has attacked Ukraine and with the war as the backdrop, Stoltenberg is trying to implement an expansion of NATO with Sweden and Finland, and to secure joint support for Ukraine among the member states. And the process is not as boring to follow as it might sound. In a time that is increasingly characterized by the exercise of power through threats and intimidation, it is beneficial to see how elegantly, properly and effectively Stoltenberg insists on achieving results through diplomacy, consensus and conversation.

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9-Month Contract

Ketevan Vashagashvili

This is a perfect example of the power and importance of filmmaking. Being allowed into the life and relationship between Zhana and Elene is a beautiful and heartbreaking journey. Zhana is a surrogate, she charges 14.000 USD for a pregnancy - a way to make money in Georgia where there isn’t much of a social security system. Besides the impressive tale and storytelling, the film is beautifully captured, primarily by the director herself. This is a true little masterpiece and a great way to get informed and take a stand in the discussion of surrogacy. 

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Mr. Nobody Against Putin

Pavel Talankin & David Borenstein

If you want to understand how tight the clutch of Kremlin propaganda has on the Russian population, this is the film for you. Paradoxically it was a rule from the government stating that all propaganda sessions in russian schools must be filmed, presumably as a measure of control to ensure that teachers were actually teaching the Kremlin's revisioned world view to students, that allowed the films protagonist to document the militarization that is taking place at the school where he works. A fascinating and scary piece of reality.     

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For information on where to watch the films, go to cphdox.dk