The role of journalism in an age of political polarization, propaganda, and deepening social divides will be at the center of the second edition of Press Play Prague, an international film festival dedicated to journalism and media. The event runs Oct. 7–11, 2025, at Prague’s Kino Atlas, with most screenings and discussions held in English.
Organized by Deník Referendum, Project Syndicate, and Kino Atlas, the festival takes place under the theme “Journalism Under Pressure.” Through screenings, debates, and public discussions, it aims to explore how reporters confront ethical dilemmas, censorship, and political intimidation while trying to uphold democratic values.
Following a successful debut in 2024, which awarded a documentary on voter suppression its audience prize, this year’s festival broadens its international scope. It presents both documentaries and feature films that examine the profession from multiple perspectives, while also situating those stories in the current global climate of media mistrust and institutional crisis.
Competition lineup highlights challenges facing reporters
The festival’s competition program brings together films examining the obstacles journalists face worldwide. Ukrainian filmmakers at the Kyiv Independent present Faces of Torture (pictured at top), directed by Vitalii Havura, documenting the brutal conditions in Russian prisons and their impact on war reporting.
Hungarian directors Máté Fuchs and Bálint Bíró investigate corruption linked to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s family in The Dynasty, while Lucas Silva’s El Facilitador delves into political manipulation in Uruguay.
Environmental and social issues also come into focus. The Singaporean documentary Wasted, directed by Jessica Cheam and Fraser Morton, addresses ecological crises overlooked amid geopolitical upheavals. Oana Martisca’s film News Without a Newsroom considers how shrinking resources and changing media structures affect reporting in the United States. Mexican director Santiago Maza’s State of Silence portrays the risks faced by investigative journalists covering the drug war.
The short film competition expands the scope further, featuring stories from Moscow prisons, Mexico City, and the frontlines of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. These selections underscore the global breadth of challenges confronting reporters and their pursuit of truth under dangerous circumstances.
Retrospectives and debates
Beyond its competitive sections, Press Play Prague introduces audiences to a variety of perspectives on journalism through curated retrospectives and special screenings. The Out of Frame category features films that fall outside competition yet offer critical insights into media and society.
Among them is Who Killed Shireen?, an investigation led by journalist Connor Powell and the U.S.-based nonprofit Zeteo, which seeks accountability for the 2022 killing of Palestinian-American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin.
The festival’s Great Narratives section presents classic dramatizations of the press, accompanied by debates with Czech journalists connecting them to current issues. Screenings include Alfred Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent (1940), Sydney Pollack’s Absence of Malice (1981), and George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck (2005), which recounts CBS broadcaster Edward R. Murrow’s challenge to Senator Joseph McCarthy during America’s anti-communist campaigns.
The relevance of Clooney’s film, festival organizers note, has grown in light of recent political developments on both sides of the Atlantic. A panel following the screening will examine whether media can still safeguard democracy, featuring current and former editors from Czech outlets.
Press Play Prague will open at Kino Atlas on Oct. 7 and close Oct. 11 with the presentation of festival prizes. Designed as both a film showcase and a platform for discussion, the event highlights the continuing struggles of reporters to maintain independence and integrity in the face of external pressures.
