LOVE & LAND: 6th EthnoKino Bern

LOVE & LAND: Highlights from the 6th EthnoKino Film Festival in Bern

Three days of cinema, encounters, and collective imagination | 11–13 September 2026

The 6th EthnoKino Film Festival brought together filmmakers, researchers, artists, students, and audiences in Bern for three inspiring days celebrating cinema as a space for intercultural dialogue, artistic expression, and collective reflection. Under this year's theme, LOVE & LAND, we explored stories of belonging, identity, displacement, and our relationships with the lands and communities we call home.

Our opening evening, co-hosted in collaboration with Prof.Christian Bueschges and Sebastian Stoeckli from the Latin American Studies Unit at the University of Bern, featured a wonderful selection of student short films alongside the award-winning competition film TOROBORO by Ecuadorian filmmaker Manolo Sarmiento. A lively apéro brought everyone together, creating a warm atmosphere for conversations, new friendships, and intercultural exchange.

On the second day, we travelled through cinema to the waters of Borneo with Joo Peter's BAJAU LAUT, a poetic and futuristic exploration of the lives of the Bajau Laut, the stateless sea nomads whose existence challenges conventional understandings of borders, belonging, and home. The screening was followed by an inspiring masterclass with the filmmaker, opening conversations about cinematic imagination, representation, and alternative futures.

Our final day on Sunday brought another powerful encounter with researchers Prof.Susan Thieme and Dr.Jinat Hossain, who shared their evocative research film WHO SPEAKS FOR US?, filmed in Nepal and Bangladesh. Exploring questions of voice, representation, and lived realities, the film sparked meaningful dialogue between research, cinema, and the public. The evening became even more memorable with a surprise musical performance by Loten Namling, whose Tibetan music added a moving artistic dimension to our closing gathering.

Across these three days, EthnoKino once again reminded us that cinema is much more than watching films. It is about creating encounters, nurturing solidarity, questioning dominant narratives, and imagining different ways of living together.

Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all participating filmmakers, researchers, students, collaborators, volunteers, and audiences who made this sixth edition possible. Your generosity, curiosity, and enthusiasm continue to make EthnoKino a growing community of cinematic encounters and meaningful connections.

From Bern to the world, the journey continues!

With love and gratitude,

The EthnoKino Team