Tolerance Talks — programme 2026
Tolerance Talks connect film screenings with conversations about questions that remain with us after we leave the cinema. Each film provides a starting point for a meeting between specialists, communities and audiences.
A HOME IS A RIGHT. THE PRICE PER SQUARE METRE SAYS OTHERWISE.
8 October · 11:30 · Polyvalent Hall, Providur’s Palace
What does losing a home mean for a child? Following the film block, we discuss housing rights, insecurity and social exclusion. Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake explores the burden a family crisis places on a child, while The Night Boots offers a story of fear and companionship. How can a loss of security be discussed without stigma? What can schools, neighbours and communities do when a family can no longer manage a crisis alone? The discussion connects the films with ways to support children and their families.
Moderated by Izabela Laura.
THE ALGORITHM DOESN’T HATE. IT JUST KNOWS WHAT WORKS.
9 October · 11:30 · Polyvalent Hall, Providur’s Palace
Mr. Nobody Against Putin shows propaganda reshaping everyday school life. The discussion connects that experience with young people’s digital lives: videos, photographs, headlines and algorithmic recommendations. How can information be distinguished from manipulation? What should we check before believing or sharing content? We explore disinformation, pressures on critical thinking and the mechanisms that determine what appears in social media feeds. The aim is to make room for young people’s questions and a thoughtful approach to using media.
Moderated by Izabela Laura.
With support from the Government of the Republic of Croatia Office for Cooperation with NGOs / CERV.
Promotion of the European Union’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme as part of the Festival of Tolerance Zadar 2026 project (8–10 October 2026).
Support from the European Commission and the Government of the Republic of Croatia Office for Cooperation with NGOs for the screening of this film does not constitute endorsement of its content, which reflects only the views of its authors. The European Commission and the Office for Cooperation with NGOs cannot be held responsible for any use made of the information contained therein.
UNTIL EVERYONE IS SAFE
9 October · 19:45–20:10 · Polyvalent Hall, Providur’s Palace
Special screening and Tolerance Talk with UNHCR. The programme begins at 18:00; the film starts at 18:05.
The children’s journey in Lost Land opens a discussion about refugee experiences, forced displacement and the right to seek safety. How can people forced to leave home be protected and supported as they build a life in a new place? Lived experience of displacement meets the perspectives of UNHCR and human rights protection. The discussion brings attention back to the individual, their dignity and their right to live without fear, with space for questions from the audience.
Moderated by Izabela Laura.
Participants: Giulia Naboni, External Relations Officer, UNHCR Representation for Central and Southeast Europe; Kateryna Chumachenko, a Ukrainian photographer with refugee experience; Monika Čavlović, Human Rights Adviser, Office of the Ombudswoman of Croatia.
EVERYONE TALKS. WHO LISTENS?
10 October · 13:00–13:25 · Polyvalent Hall, Providur’s Palace
Powered by Novi radio
The discussion will be interpreted into Croatian Sign Language.
Deaf asks who adapts to whom in a world designed around the hearing majority. The discussion after the film addresses communication, accessibility and equal participation for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. How can spaces, information and conversation be organised so that an invitation to take part becomes a real opportunity? Professional experience, community organisations and the media perspective help identify barriers often invisible to hearing people and ways for communities to remove them.
Moderated by Izabela Laura.
Participants: Lucija Božajić, speech and language therapist; Antonio Šarić, radio host and podcaster, Novi radio; Miki Savić, Secretary of the Zadar Association of People with Hearing Impairments; Žana Vukić, President of the Zadar County Deaf Sports Association, Vice-President of the Zadar Association of People with Hearing Impairments and communication support worker.
WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THAT IN OUR FAMILY.
10 October · 20:30–20:55 · Bersa Brothers Concert Hall, Rector’s Palace
We Were the Scenery gives a voice to Vietnamese refugees once relegated to the background of a film; My Underground Mother uncovers a woman’s silenced experience of war, persecution and resistance. Following both films, we discuss anti-fascism, confronting the past and the relationship between family and public memory. Who decides which stories enter history? What happens when silence within families becomes part of collective memory, and where does the next generation’s right to know begin?
Moderated by Izabela Laura.
Participant: Dr Ljiljana Dobrovšak, historian, Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences.
Admission to all programmes is free.
Film programme and screening times · Festival overview · Hrvatska verzija
