The Norwegian documentary Dreams, part of the Community Boundaries category, tells the story of three protagonists with the unique ability to control their dreams and create their own imaginative worlds. The film explores the topic of dreams and the role they play in waking life. It also poses the question: what should you do when dreaming is more attractive than living?

The Spanish documentary My Sextortion Diary, however, is anything but a pleasant daydream, in fact, it’s a modern-day nightmare. When protagonist/director Pati’s laptop is stolen she faces blackmail over the publication of intimate photos. However, instead of scrambling to protect her privacy, she records the entire experience for the world to see. She hopes that by making her story public, she can help other women who may find themselves in the same predicament. This film is one of the 10 films in the Female Gaze category.

Another film in the Female Gaze category includes the documentary XiXi, a film about the artist by the same name. The director uses video diaries to celebrate the life work of a dear friend who, despite past personal and political traumas, is able to stay joyful and optimistic and create the most amazing art through singing, dancing and spontaneity.

In the Searching for Freedom category, director Joe Piscatella’s Who's Afraid of Nathan Law? continues the story he started in his earlier work – Teenager vs. Superpower – about young people opposing the presence of China in Hong Kong. The documentary, which focuses on Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow and Nathan Law, features interviews and footage from demonstrations and TV reports as the trio fight against a seemingly indestructible totalitarian superpower.

International Adoptions: A Global Scandal, one of the films in the Family Webs category, reveals the horrifying background behind the seemingly heroic stories of “orphan rescue missions.” In the documentary, filmmakers expose a system that can only be described as human trafficking as children are forcibly taken from their biological parents and given new families in the West. With the help of legal, journalistic and administrative staff, these adoptees learn about their true identities and the families they left behind.

Finally, Soul of the Desert tells the story of Georgina, a transgender woman who had to leave her family because of her queer identity. Georgina now lives in the Colombian desert among the Wayuú people. The film charts her journey through the desert – a symbol of her persistence and development – as she journeys to obtain a new identity card that accurately reflects her name and gender. Through her struggles with Colombian bureaucracy, her reunion with the family that once rejected her and her fight for transgender rights, this documentary highlights the importance of belonging and living life with dignity.