ABOUT MOVIES THAT MATTER
From March 20 to 28, 2026, Movies that Matter will celebrate its twentieth anniversary in The Hague. For twenty years, the festival has shown how film can spark conversations about human rights and social justice. During this special edition, more than ninety feature films, documentaries, and short films by passionate filmmakers from around the world will be screened. The program not only includes film screenings but is also enriched with Q&A sessions, workshops, and exhibitions, offering visitors diverse ways to reflect on pressing social issues.
The festival takes place at Filmhuis Den Haag and Theater aan het Spui, but also extends to other locations in the city, including Theater De Vaillant, Theater Dakota, De Regentes, GR8, The Social Hub, and Flora Filmtheater.
On our website, we highlight part of the program. The full program can be viewed on the Movies that Matter website.
Want to see the full program and book your tickets right away? Then head over to the Movies that Matter website!
FILM HIGHLIGHTS
Opening Film: American Doctor
March 20
The festival opens on Friday with the documentary American Doctor by Poh Si Teng. When three American doctors – a Palestinian, a Jew, and a Zoroastrian – travel to Gaza to save lives, they find themselves caught between medicine and politics. As the world watches a besieged and heavily bombarded Gaza struggle with a humanitarian catastrophe, a collapsing healthcare system, and an unprecedented number of civilian casualties, they feel the urgent need to act. Meanwhile, they risk everything to make a difference.
Activist Lens
March 21-28
The Activist Lens program presents eight inspiring documentaries about the work of extraordinary activists from around the world. During the festival, these activists will be present in person, and after the screenings, you can engage with them in the Q&A sessions.
Shorts Cinema
March 21-28
During the festival, Hall 6 of Filmhuis Den Haag will be transformed daily into a Shorts cinema. Here, we will screen 27 short films, divided into seven thematic blocks.
Selected by De Groene Amsterdammer
March 22
De Groene presents a double bill: Steal This Story Please! follows US investigative journalist Amy Goodman and her independent news outlet Democracy Now!, with a post-screening talk between editor Margreet Fogteloo and editor-in-chief Xandra Schutte on independent journalism. Coexistence, My Ass! profiles Israeli comedian Noam Shuster-Eliassi, whose stance on Palestinian-Israeli coexistence shifted as Israeli authorities grew more radical, followed by a discussion with Groene editor Lotfi El Hamidi and Oy Vey program director Lievnath Faber. Combo tickets €22.
VR: Revival Roadshow
March 26-28
The 17-minute VR experience Revival Roadshow. Explorer Abel Tasman confronts colonial legacies, the climate crisis, and digital culture in a speculative future. The work combines absurdity, dark humor, and visual extravagance.
Queer Night
March 27
Queer Night is back! Featuring La Petite Dernière, about 17-year-old French-Algerian Fatima, who struggles with her emerging desires and her loyalty to her loving family. And The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo, in which 11-year-old Chilean Lidia grows up in a queer family on the outskirts of a hostile desert town. After the screenings, a DJ will keep the party going in the café of Filmhuis Den Haag until 1:00 AM, closing the night in style.
Our Colonial History
March 27
With two films followed by Q&A sessions, we take a deeper look into the Dutch colonial past. Uma Memória Emplumada follows Brazilian indigenous artist Daiara Tukano, who creates a mural at the Mauritshuis and explores the colonial ties between the Netherlands and Brazil through her art. Nusa Ina highlights Loey Tamaëla, the son of a Moluccan KNIL soldier who came to the Netherlands in 1962 and never returned. His story of uprooting and longing for his native island reflects 75 years of Moluccan presence in the Netherlands.
EVENT HIGHTLIGHTS
Book Swap Circle
March 21
Swap your read books for new stories! At the book exchange by @bookswapcircle in Filmhuis, you can trade 1 to 10 books and use your ticket to watch a film of your choice.
Meet me at the Bingo
March 22
Speed dating at a human rights film festival? It’s possible! The team behind the popular Instagram account Ballenbingo is hosting their famous ‘Meet Me at the Bingo’. The speed dates start at 3:45 PM at Filmhuis Den Haag. After dating, the whole group heads together to Cutting Through Rocks at 5:30 PM.
ESTAFET: The Hague's Makers Climate
March 25
Movies that Matter proudly opens the ESTAFET series: four gatherings that contribute to a dynamic and sustainable film and media ecosystem in The Hague. This first edition focuses on four The Hague–based creators working with sound, photography, installation, and film. They provide insight into their artistic practices and engage in a moderated panel discussion about developing their craft, securing funding—including creative and alternative models—and exploring diverse forms and venues for presenting their work.