CFF @ Jeu de Paume, Paris

To Hold a Mountain

Biljana Tutorov Petar Glomazić

<p>In the remote highlands of Montenegro, a shepherd mother and daughter proudly defend their ancestral mountain from the threat of becoming a NATO military training ground, stirring memories of the violence that shattered their family. Gara, To Hold a Mountain&rsquo;s guiding light, is living proof that not all heroes wear capes. She spends long days herding sheep, making cheese, and fighting to protect her favorite place in the world &mdash; all while ensuring that young Nada grows up kind, capable, and empowered. In To Hold a Mountain, co-directors Biljana Tutorov and Petar Glomazić craft a tender, visually stunning portrait of a remote mountain community of women driven by strenuous work and grassroots resistance. Despite their daily hardships and the lasting effects of generational trauma, they remain loving and dignified, nurturing not only one another, but also the animals they rely on for sustenance. The film powerfully captures the significance of love and persistence at a time when the past haunts and the future feels under attack.</p>

Searching for Amani

Nicole Gormley Debra Aroko

<p>A 13-year-old aspiring journalist investigates his father&rsquo;s mysterious murder within the boundaries of one of Kenya&rsquo;s largest wildlife conservancies. As a ravaging drought encroaches, his quest to find the killer shifts as the collateral damage of a warming world is revealed.</p>

Ghost Elephants (2025)

Werner Herzog

<p>Follows a mysterious herd of ghost elephants in the jungles of Angola.</p>

Katú Mirim (YANUNI)

Richard Ladkani

<p>2009, Brazil. During a news broadcast in the Amazon, a reporter asks a young Indigenous woman what her wish for the future is. The woman,&nbsp;<strong>Juma Xipaia</strong>, smiles and replies, &ldquo;Fighting for the indigenous cause. Standing up for my people, who mean everything to me in this life. I live for them and die for them. My life is going to be one of struggle.&rdquo; Years later, Juma has asserted herself as a determined environmental warrior &mdash; the first female Indigenous chief of her people in the Middle Xingu &mdash; and a fearless advocate against exploitation by landowners and multinational corporations. Having survived six assassination attempts, Juma continues her steadfast commitment to her community and her fight against the seizing of Indigenous lands, as the political landscape in Brazil shifts from Bolsonaro-era suppression to President Lula&rsquo;s progressive environmental battles. The more fiercely outspoken Juma is &mdash; alongside her husband Hugo, a Special Forces Unit ranger &mdash; the starker the socio-political conflict becomes. The courageous Juma and Hugo navigate dangerous circumstances while coming to terms with becoming expecting parents, furthering the stakes for their livelihoods and the livelihood of Indigenous people.&nbsp;</p> <p>From producer&nbsp;<strong>Leonardo DiCaprio</strong>&nbsp;and director&nbsp;<strong>Richard Ladkani</strong>, the riveting&nbsp;<em>YANUNI</em>&nbsp;unfolds like a tense thriller and with remarkable access, as it kinetically showcases the risks that Indigenous activists incur in their fight for sovereignty and environmental justice.&mdash;Jose Rodriguez</p>

Everything is Fine

Areeya Jitaree

<p>A young girl unveils the truth about her surroundings and endeavors to transform her city.</p>

HOT SODA

Nello DiGiandomenico

<p>MEG protests her town hall&rsquo;s approval to double the fracking that has been drilling the land for decades. In an effort to relax, she microdoses magic mushrooms and starts another day working at the family restaurant with her sick father, JACK. Their typical routine is interrupted when the CEO of the fracking company and his bodyguard arrive to dine. Believing that the fracking is poisoning the town and played a hand in her mother&rsquo;s death, Meg refuses to serve the men. Jack, however, exists in deep denial, knowing they need the fracking company&rsquo;s business to survive.</p>

There Will Come Soft Rains

Elham Ehsas

<p>Haunted by rising sea levels, a daughter digs up her father&rsquo;s grave to move his body to higher ground.</p>

Kuhaan

Vinati Makijany

<p>Kuhaan, adapted from Mujtaba Hussain&rsquo;s satirical story Pani 2050, is a poignant dystopian tale set in a future where water is not just scarce &mdash; it&rsquo;s currency. Amidst this arid reality, a young mother embarks on a desperate quest to uncover the cause of a mysterious hump forming on her little son&#39;s spine. As she seeks answers from the sage to modern doctors, what unfolds is not a medical mystery, but a chilling revelation: nature is responding to humanity&rsquo;s unquenchable greed. Kuhaan is a powerful reflection on environmental neglect, survival, and the unforeseen consequences of exploiting the earth&rsquo;s most vital resource.</p>

The Human Fossil

Rebecca Huang

<p>&ldquo;The Human Fossil&rdquo; is an animated short film about alien archaeologist Soo&rsquo;s mesmerizing encounter with the relics of human civilization. Initially perplexed by the ceramic artifacts she found, Soo performs amusing experiments on them, even riding on a toilet bowl. However, when Soo immerses broken bowls and mugs in water, she witnesses vivid flashbacks from their ancient owners thousands of years ago.</p>

Kataw

Alyssa Ashley Manugas

<p>In a dystopian future where the Philippine archipelago is mostly submerged in seawater, a Mother-doctor, along with other experts comes up with an unconventional solution to save the future Filipino generation. An operation that to some is a medical farce. An extremely risky procedure that will turn children into the likeness of a Visayan mythical creature - the Kataw. Despite the risk, she is driven by dire circumstances to do it to her child.</p>

The Persistence of Memory

Genevieve Hannelius Zulema Young-Toledo

<p>In a world where memories blur into dreams, a young woman navigate shifting realities in search of her true identities. As time bends and moments repeat, she is drawn into a surreal journey that forces her to confront what is real and what is imagined. The Persistence of Memory becomes a meditation on how the past lingers, shaping the people we become.</p>

Dear Phonocene

Mélia Roger

<p>Inspired by recent scientific studies on acoustic enrichment showing that sound diffusion in damaged environments can help their restoration, four women field recordists are playing back recordings in clear-cut areas, activating the landscape like a distant memory of lost species. Shown like a performative act of care through sound, the film is a slow observation of our changing environment.</p>

Common Pear

Gregor Božič

<p>In a not-too-distant future ravaged by climate crisis, a team of scientists analyse the archival footage of farmers from the past, in an attempt to understand their connection to the land. In this beautifully shot blend of documentary and fiction, Gregor Božić pays warm tribute to the old growers of the Gori&scaron;ka region in Western Slovenia, who appreciated fruit as more than merely a product for sale.</p>

Alheio

Pedro Paulo Araujo

<p>Set against an otherworldly landscape, this experimental short traces the metamorphosis of a larva into a mosquito, unraveling a layered exploration of identity, migration, and estrangement. Through a sensorial, hybrid form that blends microscopic footage with alienesque terrains, the film follows the mosquito&rsquo;s passage through unfamiliar environments as it struggles to understand its own body and purpose. Disoriented and unmoored, the insect becomes a vessel for broader existential questions, transformation and displacement. Shot on expired 16mm film along the northeastern coast of Brazil, the film evokes both decay and discovery.</p>

O Jardim Em Movimento (The Moving Garden)

Inês Lima 

<p>Accompanied by two botanical guides, a group of hikers embarks on a journey through the enchanting landscapes of Arr&aacute;bida Natural Park. As they traverse the park&#39;s diverse flora and fauna, they uncover evidence of a troubling transformation: rather than the work of nature, it becomes clear that human intervention is reshaping this once-pristine environment.</p>

The Instability of Clouds (2024)

Zazie Ray-Trapido

<p>A suburb in Southern California comes together to create a community and heal from loss.</p>

Dreamland (2024)

Tehya Jennett Maxfield Biggs

<p>Comprised entirely of archival footage from U.S. propaganda and home videos sourced from the public domain, this film is an open letter to the place of dreams - what it has been, and what it could be. The associated poem, &ldquo;Dreamland,&rdquo; addresses the complicated history of the role American idealism played in covering up global decimation. There is a communal longing for a simpler time, but what does that time actually refer to? How can we remember and examine the past to forge a better future?</p>

Extra Life (and Decay)

Stéphanie Lagarde

<p>A polyphonic narrator &ndash; filmmaker, parent, forest, insects, fungi, childcare worker &ndash; declares their absolute refusal of labor exploitation, and their necessity to join collective bodies in resistance.</p>