Europe, love, money, and radicalisation – four themes to be explored this year at the Inspiration Forum, the discussion platform of the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival. Dozens of voices from Czechia and around the world will gather in Jihlava. “Every year we try to open up topics that inspire each of us – in our hearts, bodies, work, and in the way we communicate with one another. The Inspiration Forum is a space where we seek ways to live better, despite the world around us feeling complicated at times,” says Tereza Swadoschová.
25th of October – About Europe: The Old Continent, New Questions
The challenges facing Europe today are too numerous to count. Externally, the Russian war in Ukraine has placed the continent under sustained pressure, cyberattacks test its technical preparedness daily, and the energy crisis has long since reached every European household. Europe urgently needs to strengthen its defences – it must become more resilient if it is to endure in a time when even the most fundamental certainties are being shaken. Europeans are confronted with the urgent need for a new narrative – a story capable of uniting us for such a task. Where does the real source of cohesion lie? And can such a key also support the Czech people?
Taiwanese writer Kevin Chen, who lives in Berlin, knows what it means to start over amidst different languages and cultures. His acclaimed novel Ghost Town, translated into thirteen languages, presents a world of migration, displacement, and the search for belonging. The renowned author will bring a perspective that reminds us the story of Europe need not be written only by those born here. Chen will show that Europe can – and perhaps must – be polyphonic, shaped by personal stories of resettlement, integration, and finding one’s place.
26th of October – Heart and Love: How to Care for Relationships, the Body, and the World?
Love remains one of the most powerful forces in our lives. But what does it mean to love today? How can we care for our own hearts – whether as a physiological muscle or as the magical source of our deepest emotions? And how can we nurture the relationships that sustain us, even at a time when the old order is collapsing? Palestinian-Canadian physician and peace activist Izzeldin Abuelaish became a symbol of courage after he refused to succumb to hatred during the war in Gaza, despite it claiming the lives of his three daughters. The author of I Shall Not Hate, he lectures at universities worldwide and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize four times. In Jihlava, he will show that love can be more than a personal feeling: it can be a radical political act, a path to healing, and the foundation for future coexistence.
31st of October – Money: It Makes the World Go Round – But Where, and Why?
Money makes the world go round – and shapes our everyday lives. It determines who holds power and how society functions. But how can we ensure everyone has enough of it? And can money help guide us towards a future that belongs to all – not just to a privileged few?
Artist Kateřina Šedá transforms the lives of ordinary people into art. In Jihlava, she will present a project in which each banknote tells the story of a former employee of the Elite factory in Varnsdorf. Instead of statistics and tables, real human destinies come to life, serving as a tangible reminder that the value of a lifetime’s work will always exceed economic indicators. Her project suggests that money, too, can be a tool for memory and solidarity.
1st of November – Radicalisation: How Can We Understand Each Other Again in the Digital World?
Radicalisation is seeping into our relationships, politics, and everyday communication. The digital environment is transforming not only the world around us but also our inner lives – and with them, our ability to understand one another. What awaits a society fragmented by algorithms into closed worlds?
Researcher Eviane Leidig from the University of Oslo investigates how the far right has become a digital phenomenon. In her book The Women of the Far Right, she shows that radicalisation often enters quietly – through influencers, lifestyle videos, or parenting communities. In Jihlava, she will reveal how what may appear to be “common sense” can in fact normalise hatred, reshape the values of an entire generation – and ultimately cost us lives.
