Beyond the Frame: Building Impact

31 May, 2026, 3.00 PM @ Festival Center: Lounge 19

Event language: English

Impact and outreach are not secondary considerations, but integral to the way documentary films are conceived, produced, and shared.

This session explores how filmmakers can think about impact from the earliest stages of development, and what meaningful outreach can look like in different political and social contexts. Particular attention is given to working with sensitive topics and within restricted media environments, as well as to strategies for reaching the communities and conversations where films can resonate most. Following an initial input introducing the field of impact production, the session moves into a moderated exchange with invited experts, reflecting on concrete practices, challenges, and ethical questions. The final part opens up into a collective discussion: participants are invited to share their own projects, ask questions, and gather feedback, creating a space for dialogue, peer learning, and practical insight.

Tickets

Program Info

Beyond the Frame

Guests

Rieneke van Santen

Rieneke Van Santen is a media professional focused on independent journalism in repressed societies. She consults journalists and human rights groups in countries such as Iran, Sudan, Russia and more. After leading an independent Persian journalism platform, she founded Dendezo Media Support & Productions where she (impact) produces human rights documentaries. Her award winning film "Sānsūr" on censorship of women in Iran reached millions via satellite.

Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala

Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala is an Emmy-nominated documentary and impact producer and broadcast journalist. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and co-founder of Storytellers International Inc. Her work includes Delikado (2022), 11,103 (2022), Call Her Ganda (2018), and Batas Militar (1997). She is President of the Filipino Documentary Society and serves on the Advisory Committee of the Global Impact Producers Alliance.

Moderation

Anna Ramskogler-Witt

Anna Ramskogler-Witt began her career in the film industry in 2006 at Vienna's Pool Film Distribution, where she set up the education programme. Since the beginning of her career, she has been convinced that documentaries can achieve a longer life and a larger audience through an impact approach. From 2019 - 2023 she served as Artistic Director of the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin. Together with Vivian Schröder, she founded The Good Media Network in 2024 and serves as the Artistic Director.