Keep watching
– and take a stand for artistic freedom
Behind every film that challenges authority, questions societal norms, or uncovers hidden truths, there is a filmmaker who has chosen to take risks – and often, to disobey. It is easy to forget what lies behind the films we watch during the festival, that every scene can represent an act of defiance, a choice between silence and risking everything.
You can support artistic and free expression by contributing to the Göteborg Film Fund, an initiative dedicated to strengthening the film industry in countries facing economic or political challenges. Its mission is to foster a diverse cultural and media landscape while promoting artistic freedom and freedom of speech.
In countries where freedom is severely restricted, filmmakers are often forced to work in secret, smuggling their creations across borders at great personal risk. For these individuals, filmmaking is more than storytelling – it is a defence of their humanity and dignity. Despite the threats of imprisonment, violence, or exile, they refuse to give up. They believe in the power of storytelling, in the potential of film to change the way people think and feel. Their courage reminds us why artistic freedom truly matters – not only for them but for all of us.
The films showcased at this year’s festival illuminate the forbidden, unveil the invisible, and drive change through us as viewers. This is why we must keep watching. These filmmakers risk everything to present a vision of their reality. Many are forced to flee their homelands, leaving everything behind and placing their families in danger. Yet, even in the face of violence, imprisonment, or death, they persist in documenting what others would rather conceal. For them, the camera becomes an act of resistance, and a single disobedient act becomes a beacon of hope – hope that if the world were only to see, if more people were only to know, then something could change.
Without audiences to witness these films, silenced voices remain unheard. Simply by watching, we help defend artistic freedom and ensure these stories continue to reach the world. By engaging with their films, by listening and absorbing their narratives, we become part of their struggle. So, keep watching.
The Vignette Film for the 2025 Festival
The vignette film is a long-standing tradition at the Göteborg Film Festival, setting the tone for each screening. In this year’s vignette film (created by Forsman & Bodenfors and the production company Rio, directed by Lode Kuylenstierna), the audience comes face to face with a dictator. His rhetoric mirrors the threats faced by filmmakers in countries where freedom is severely restricted – places where filmmakers are forced to work in secrecy, smuggling their creations across borders, often at great personal risk.
The focus of this year’s theme, Focus: Disobedience, is the power of film to reshape perceptions of society – and it is that very power which terrifies the protagonist of the vignette film. His message also reflects the harsh reality that filmmakers risk encountering.
To see the vignette - click on the image below.
The vingnette is produced in collaboration with Forsman & Bodenfors and Director Lode Kuylenstierna, via the productioncompany Rio (f.d Diktator).
Want to do more?
During Göteborg Film Festival 2025, a new initiative is being launched to promote artistic freedom. The goal is to raise money for residencies for filmmakers working under difficult circumstances in countries where artistic freedom and free speech are under threat. Therefore, we have created the opportunity to round up at checkout when purchasing your festival tickets by adding this product. It costs SEK 10, and you can decide how much you want to contribute by choosing the quantity. The money goes fully and directly to the fund. If you’re not buying tickets but still wish to contribute, you can use Swish: 123-087 99 24.