European Film Promotion (EFP) is delighted to continue its strong partnership with the Festival do Rio as dedicated global partner for the EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM Programme, alongside the festivals in Busan and Sydney. With EFP’s support, the Festival do Rio (2–12 October 2025) presents a carefully curated line-up of European films by emerging and established women, identifying directors who portray a rich diversity of nationalities, genres, and cinematic voices.
Father (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland), directed by Tereza Nvotová, is a gripping, immersive drama about a man shattered by a tragic mistake, facing guilt, prison, and the question of whether love can survive the unthinkable.
Award-winning director Agnieszka Holland’s Franz (Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, France, Turkey) follows the life of Czech writer Franz Kafka, from 19th-century Prague to post-World War I Vienna. Played by German actor Idan Weiss, Kafka navigates his literary passion and family responsibilities in a conservative society.
Her Difference (France), directed by Lola Doillon is a witty, heartfelt romantic comedy about a 35-year-old researcher whose chaotic relationship unravels after a documentary project helps her articulate a long-unspoken truth.
Swedish director Maria Eriksson-Hecht debuts with Kevlar Soul (Sweden, Norway, Finland), a raw drama about two brothers facing an abusive father. The film explores survival and brotherhood through intimate storytelling and stunning performances.
The Kidnapping of Arabella (Italy), directed by Carolina Cavalli portrays a disillusioned young woman who believes she has found her younger self in an eight-year-old girl named Arabella. Together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing.
Directed by award-winning documentarian and actress Alexe Poukine, Kika (Belgium, France) follows a pregnant woman facing the sudden death of her partner. Broke and heartbroken, she chooses an unconventional path to survive, weaving together humor and sorrow in a raw exploration of pain and resilience.
Little Trouble Girls (Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Serbia) by Urška Djukić tells the story of the shy 16-year-old Lucia, who befriends the extroverted Ana Maria in a Catholic girls' choir. When Lucia develops sexual feelings for a worker at the monastery, things get complicated.
Live a Little (Sweden, Norway, Denmark), the feature debut of Swedish director Fanny Ovesen, centers on two friends, Laura and Alexandra, on a summer couch surfing trip through Europe. After a night Laura can’t fully remember, she grapples with the impact on her sense of self.
Mother’s Baby (Austria, Switzerland, Germany), directed by Johanna Moder, is a tense psychological drama about Julia, a successful conductor who, after an experimental fertility treatment, gives birth to a baby with serious complications.
With No Mercy (Germany, Austria), Isa Willinger embarks on a journey to meet legendary and pioneering female directors of our time. The film reveals cinema as a mirror of social power dynamics and asks: where do we truly stand today in terms of women, men, and power?
In her second feature film Sandbag Dam (Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia) Čejen Černić Čanak, tells the story of Marko, a gifted young athlete in a flood-threatened Croatian village. When his first love, Slaven, returns after years away, long-buried feelings resurface.
Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys’ We Believe You (Belgium) is a tense real-time legal drama about Alice, a mother protecting her children from an abusive father. Set mostly within the courtroom, it highlights the emotional and systemic struggles victims face.
Barbara Miller’s and Philip Delaquis’ Wisdom of Happiness (Switzerland) offers an intimate portrait of the Dalai Lama’s journey toward compassion and inner peace. Blending ancient Tibetan traditions with urgent modern issues, they craft a thoughtful meditation on happiness as a force for global change and the cultivation of unconditional compassion.
In Cecilia Verheyden’s Skiff (Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands) fifteen-year-old Malou, a talented rower from a small town, finds her world upended when bullying and unexpected feelings for her brother’s girlfriend push her into a turbulent journey of self-discovery. Torn between loyalty and desire, she must confront who she truly is—no matter the cost.
Justa (Portugal), directed by Teresa Villaverde, is a poetic and haunting drama set in a mountain village devastated by fire, where the remaining men are paralyzed by loss and isolation. The arrival of a female psychiatrist from outside the valley stirs fragile hopes for renewal amid lingering ghosts and broken bonds.
36 additional films by European women and genderqueer directors round out the festival’s diverse line-up.
Portuguese filmmaker Teresa Villaverde is attending the Festival do Rio where she will engage with local audiences and participate in a variety of festival events. She will be joined by Spanish director Gemma Blasco (La Furia), Spanish producer María Zamora (Romería by Carla Simón) and filmmakers Sophie Letourneur (L’Aventura), Romane Bohringer (Tell Her I Love Her), Hind Meddeb (Sudan, Remember Us), as well as actor, director, and screenwriter Blandine Lenoir from France and Juliette Binoche with her directorial debut In-I in Motion.
Festival do Rio and EFP are co-hosting a series of networking events to foster connections between European filmmakers and Latin American film and industry professionals. A key highlight will be the International Women+ Roundtables at RioMarket, which will unite these visiting creatives with Brazilian and International directors, actresses and producers to share insights and experiences on gender-related issues in the filmmaking profession.
EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM, in collaboration with the Sydney Film Festival, the Busan International Film Festival and the Festival do Rio is made possible thanks to the support of Creative Europe – the MEDIA Programme of the European Union. The national film promotion institutes supporting this year's edition of EUROPE! VOICES OF WOMEN+ IN FILM at the Festival do Rio are: Austrian Films, Cinecittà (Italy), Croatian Audiovisual Centre, Czech Film Center, Flanders Image, German Films, Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual I.P. / ICA (Portugal), Slovak Film Institute, Slovenian Film Centre, Swedish Film Institute, SWISS FILMS, Unifrance and Wallonie Bruxelles Images. Cineuropa is the programme’s media partner.
