The 28th UNAFF will be held from October 16-26, 2025 exploring the theme MESSAGES FOR THE FUTURE. UNAFF celebrates the power of films dealing with human rights, including environmental themes, women’s issues, racism, child welfare, war and peace. It’s one of the longest running documentary film festivals in the U.S., and founded by Jasmina Bojic, film critic and Stanford educator.

Please come and support the films below (full schedule and films here). Buy tickets here and Stanford students get in for free! 

Sense of Smell: In Search of the Lost Meaning (Thursday 10/23 4pm @ Stanford Medical School, LKC room 120) – One of the main symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of the sense of smell. Sometimes, the loss of smell could last for weeks, months, or even be permanent. This documentary investigates how the life-affirming pleasure of smell can be restored to COVID-19 survivors, discussing the power, versatility, and the crucial function behind this sense.

Arrest the Midwife (Thursday 10/23 5pm @ Stanford Medical School, LKC room 120) – The arrest of three homebirth midwives serving Amish and Mennonite communities in upstate New York ignites a legislative fight for freedom of choice in birthing rights. Through the lens of this modern-day witch hunt, the film examines the battle between medicine and midwifery and its impact on maternal child health. Set against the backdrop of the United States’ severe maternal mortality crisis and the erosion of women’s reproductive rights the filmmakers follow a group of renegade Amish and Mennonite women as they break with tradition, and become unlikely activists fighting for change.

Spillover – Planet of Viruses (Thursday 10/23 7:30pm @ Stanford Medical School, LKS room 120) – Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, COVID-19, and now avian flu – the list of deadly viruses jumping from animals to humans is increasing. Although humans coexisted with these pathogens, why are spillover events becoming more frequent? What role do our actions play in triggering outbreaks of zoonotic diseases? Spillover takes the viewer on a global journey to uncover these answers, offering an urgent and eye-opening look at the origins of some of the world’s deadliest viruses. Through vivid storytelling and a deep dive into history, this documentary unveils the mechanisms behind new virus outbreaks and their capacity to spark future pandemics.