The 9th International Environmental and Human Rights Film Festival (FINCA.DH) will take place in Asunción at the Manzana de la Rivera Cultural Centre and the Centro Cultural del Puerto, as well as online, from 3 to 6 September, 2025. The festival is free of charge and organised by the Instituto Multimedia DerHumALC (IMD) as a space for reflection on social and environmental issues through cinema.
Tributes and national premières
This year, FINCA.DH Paraguay pays tribute to two leading Paraguayan actresses: Yahaira López and Ana Ivanova. López, a prominent activist for trans rights in Paraguay, will be recognised through the screening of an episode of Todo Mejora (Everything Gets Better), directed by Ramón González R. Ivanova, passed away on March 17 2025, will be honoured with the screening of Las Herederas (The Heiresses), Marcelo Martinessi’s internationally acclaimed debut feature.
The festival also presents new Paraguayan releases. Among them is Mitã’i Churi (Naughty Boy), an animated film by Elian Guerin and Mathias Maciel. This Argentine-Paraguayan co-production highlights the tragedy of child soldiers who are conscripted after the loss of an entire battalion. Another poignant work is Dora Gómez Paiva’s No puedo tocar el cielo con las manos (I can’t touch the sky with my hands), which portrays the anguish of a mother separated from her children due to economic exile.
Online access and international collaborations
Audiences across Paraguay will be able to access the festival’s online programme free of charge via the official Instituto Multimedia DerHumALC website. Attendance at on-site screenings requires a ticket reservation, which must be completed by filling in the International Environmental and Human Rights Film Festival form.
The programme features films from Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Argentina, and Peru, among others, alongside local productions. Produced by IMD in association with the Paraguayan Association for Human Rights Education (ASOEDHU), the festival enjoys the support of the Australian, Canadian, and Swiss embassies.
Full FINCA.DH Paraguay programme
Wednesday 3 September
19:00 – Opening Screening: Interactions (Switzerland) | Location: Manzana de la Rivera | Opening toast
Thursday 4 September
19:00 – Hanami (Switzerland) + En la frontera (At the border) (Paraguay) | Location: Centro Cultural del Puerto
20:00 – Tribute to Yahaira López – Todo Mejora (Paraguay) + Quir (Switzerland) | Location: Manzana de la Rivera
Friday 5 September
18:00 – Por tu bien (For your own good) (Argentina) + Mitã’i Churi (Argentina/Paraguay) | Location: Manzana de la Rivera
19:00 – La canción de Aida (The song of Aida) + Pasta negra (Canada) | Location: Centro Cultural del Puerto
20:00 – Tribute to Ana Ivanova – Las Herederas (Paraguay) | Location: Manzana de la Rivera
Saturday 6 September
19:00 – Sweet As (Australia) + No puedo tocar el cielo con las manos (Paraguay) | Location: Manzana de la Rivera
20:00 – Los últimos (Paraguay) + El sánguche de salame (The salami sandwich) (Argentina) | Location: Centro Cultural del Puerto
21:00 – El huaro (Peru) + Pervivir (Switzerland) | Location: Manzana de la Rivera
Beyond the festival itself, film lovers can also enjoy a different cultural experience in Asunción. On Saturday 6 September, the programme A Commitment to the Promotion of Contemporary European Cinema will screen Across the Sea (Al otro lado del mar), a family-friendly film.
For more information about this and other upcoming events, check out The Asunción Times What’s On Guide.
