Films
Watch over 200 films curated from 140 countries around the globe, and featuring over 40 languages. SIMA Academy offers you unprecedented access on any device to authentic global perspectives and visually engaging current affairs media. Plus a constantly refreshed selection of international productions from independent distributors.
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Uq'axik b'e (Atravesar Caminos)
Lucia, an indigenous K'iche woman from Guatemala, is forced into exile. After more than a decade of activism through art and community communication, Lucia leaves after all the violence she had to live through in her country and now living in several countries and her situation led her to want to...
Extras
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An Nissaa (Women)
Shakirah (29), entrepreneur and activist, a vivid presence on social media where she fights to preserve the heritage of her home district – Bo-Kaap, Cape Town – against rampant gentrification. 50 kilometres away in Strand, Western Cape, 27-year-old Rughshana builds a second career in comedy, usin...
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Sama Bella *Viewer Discretion Advised*
Many early mornings, Bella and her brothers take a small boat from the harbor at the Sama-Bajau community in the Philippines to catch fish. The Indigenous sea nomads in maritime Southeast Asia are deeply connected to the ocean and are known as the best skin divers in the world.
The men take thei...
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Queen's Illusion
In an era of political repression and growing social conservatism in Turkey, the Istanbul drag scene thrives. This absorbing and illuminating half-hour documentary goes backstage to speak with those at its heart. Cake Mosq, Pepi IV, Ahsen Gönülce, Anna Tholia and Gia Androgeny are some of the mos...
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Little Big Dreams
This documentary tells the story of India’s only all-dwarf theater group. Many of them once worked as clowns in circuses, but through theater, they have found respect, dignity, and love. They are now building their own village, with homes made to fit their needs. It’s where they live, practice, a...
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As For Us
In Ramgarh, one of India's oldest coal towns, over 50% of the mines have been abandoned without proper closure measures. Over the years, this has led to severe unemployment and ecological degradation. However, local community member Shashi Kumar has found an innovative way to repurpose these open...
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The Caretakers
A village in the north eastern Indian state of Assam devises innovative solutions to mitigate damaging human elephant conflict and develop community tolerance.
Director(s): Biswajit Das
2023 | 20 minutes
India
Language(s): Assamese
Subtitles: English -
Can I Hug You? *Viewer Discretion Advised*
In the city of Qom, the most restricted city in Iran, there are many restrictions on human rights such as mandatory hijab to assure sexual safety; Hossein (M, 30) grew up in this environment and experienced multiple sexual assaults by men, despite these measures. Due to stereotypes around masculi...
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The Happiness Shop
THE HAPPINESS SHOP is more than just a retail shop in the streets of Vietnam - it’s a beacon of empowerment and inclusivity. Founded with a unique mission to provide meaningful employment opportunities for women with disabilities. Through their work crafting souvenirs from recycled materials, the...
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Hush Now
HUSH NOW. offers a bluntly intimate look at world leaders during some of their everyday moments, pondering what’s in their minds when the world mourns, what they think about when they're alone, in their moments of relaxation, or what they dream about during their power naps.
Director(s): Laen Sa...
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Forward
While navigating a myriad of life challenges, Anjelica turned to the outdoors to improve her mental health only to discover a noticeable lack of other plus-size women of color on trail. By posting a simple flyer looking for more women to hike with, Anjelica created a community she never could hav...
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Burnt Country
Could Australia’s past help secure its future? 65,000 years in the making, BURNT COUNTRY is about fighting fire, with fire. Exploring the profound knowledge and wisdom of First Nations, this film is an invitation to connect to country and community.
Director(s): Kirsten Slemint
2024 | 18 minute... -
At the Salty Water
In Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, a dedicated team works to protect urban wildlife amid the hustle of crowds and a busy harbour. They strive to resolve conflicts, safeguard species, and promote harmony between people and animals. Their efforts reflect compassion, aiming for a future of coexistence i...
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Adidas Owns the Reality
Prankster activists perform an elaborate hoax to improve conditions for garment workers in the Adidas supply chain. Staging a shocking runway show at Berlin Fashion Week, they use humor and mischief to make the world pay attention to labor and environmental abuses that the massive sportswear bran...
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A Hand to Hold *Viewer Discretion Advised*
In the heart of Los Angeles, two members of an innovative Street Medicine team devote their livelihood to helping their unhoused patients receive care, hope, and connection.
Director(s): Reed Martin
2023 | 22 minutes
United States |
Language(s): English
Subtitles: EnglishFILMMAKER Q&A:
https:... -
We Exist in Memory
How do you rebuild home from nothing but memories? We are thrust us into the intimate conversations between Maria and her grandchild, Marucha: two Indigenous refugees living in displacement. To Maria, the Venezuelan delta is her home. To Marucha, refugee camps are all she knows. Through the rhyth...
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Strangled *Viewer Discretion Advised*
Garment worker Veasna bets big on her husband’s barber shop, providing her family’s land title as collateral to obtain a microfinance loan and finance his business. Soon after opening, the business goes bust and her husband runs off with his mistress, leaving her alone to face credit officers. Ph...
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The Last Ice Age
For storyteller Andri Snær Magnason, climate change is so big, it’s larger than language. Retracing his grandparents’ annual spring journey to Iceland’s Vatnajökull glacier to witness the loss of Europe’s largest ice cap with his son, Andri Snær Magnason searches for the stories that can help him...
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Mourning Sunshine
In their new album, the Catalan group Xiula delves into death and mourning. As both musicians and therapists and educators, they decide to spend a weekend in the countryside with families who have lost loved ones and are willing to share their experiences to collectively create a song. This poign...
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Eternal Father
26 years older than his wife, Nasar has started a family late in life. Afraid that he won't be around to see his children grow up, he decides to be cryogenically frozen upon death in the hope of coming back to life. As his family grapples with what it means for their lives, and whether they shoul...
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Radio Dadaab
Dadaab, the world’s second largest refugee camp, faces a new influx of refugees. Fardowsa, a stateless journalist born and raised in the camp, becomes a voice for the voiceless through the camp’s radio station, amplifying stories of climate, migration, and hope.
Director and Producer: Environmen...
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Ocean's Harbor House
Since 1988, Ocean’s Harbor House in New Jersey has offered refuge, aid, and intervention for vulnerable youth and families. Through their transitional living program, one determined young woman found solace, leading to a transformative journey from hardship to newfound strength. Her experience ig...
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Grey Power
Meet some of Tasmania's retired professionals who are making some noise about issues close to their hearts; proving that getting older doesn't always mean staying safe or slipping into invisibility. In fact, sometimes, it can bring with it great power.
Directors: Lara van Raay
Producer: Lara van... -
Empowerment In Action: The Eco Spanish School Story
This documentary will take you on an inspiring journey through the lives of Maria and Benedicto, two extraordinary individuals whose determination, resilience, and dedication have turned adversity into opportunity. Their Eco Spanish School, once a humble dream, has blossomed into a thriving succe...
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Colorful Souls
Colorful Souls spotlights Alma de Colores, a unique restaurant and store that predominantly employs individuals with disabilities, providing them with a sense of dignity and community through the opportunity to work. At the center of the narrative is Marta, a deaf cook at Alma de Colores. Through...