IMPACT DISTRIBUTION LAB 2025
Impact Distribution Lab is a hands-on educational program for film producers and changemakers, organized by Alternativa and inDrive. The program brings together filmmakers and changemakers to learn how to use film as a tool for change.
ABOUT THE LAB
Our Impact Distribution Lab brings together film producers and changemakers to design and implement strategies that connect socially-driven films with the audiences who need them most. Together, they will explore new environments and formats for screening and distribution and develop innovative approaches to presenting and discussing stories. The goal is to build meaningful connections with communities directly affected by the issues depicted on screen — and to find ways to contribute to real-world solutions. This is about more than visibility; it’s about creating lasting, tangible impact. If you believe in the power of cinema, care deeply about human stories, and are committed to social justice — this lab is for you.
TIMELINE
Start of the open call
Application deadline
Announcement of participants
Lectures course
Practical module
Final project presentation
Online
November 2025 – February 2026
Film producers and changemakers from Central Asia
Film is a powerful tool to spark conversations on crucial social issues — from ecology to human rights, from inclusion to freedom of speech. Cinema can take viewers on a journey through unexplored worlds, territories, cultures, and realities. It is an art form that awakens emotion — even those we often try to avoid — compelling us to think, to feel, and most importantly, to act. Yet socially significant films often struggle to reach their audiences, even though these are the very works that can shape reality, influence decision-makers, and help change the world for the better. Today, the world needs engaged individuals — those ready to stand up for justice, uphold humanistic values, consider future generations, and explore new ways to connect communities and regions. It is for them that we are creating the Impact Distribution Lab.
Who Can Participate
Our Impact Distribution Lab welcomes not only film producers and directors but also changemakers from beyond the film industry — including activists, NGO and charity workers, social entrepreneurs and business professionals involved in community-focused work. Participants will collaborate in mixed teams, bringing together diverse perspectives and skill sets. We believe that this variety of backgrounds and experiences will open doors to unconventional ideas, creative strategies, and bold, cross-sector solutions.
Lecturers of the online course
Michelle Plascencia (Mexico)
Michelle is a cultural organizer and impact strategist from Mexico City. She co-founded Impacta Cine, Mexico’s first film and social impact collective, and is Partnerships & Programs Director at GIPA.
Marcela Lizcano (Colombia)
Marcela is a filmmaker, producer, and impact strategist. Founder of Viceversa Cine, she has been working on auteur-driven projects and international co-productions since 2012. She also leads NODO SUR, an initiative focused on strengthening the social impact of films.
Margje de Koning (the Netherlands)
Margje is Artistic Director of the Movies that Matter Festival, curating films that inspire dialogue on justice, freedom, and human dignity. She is a member of DAFF, the European Film Academy (EFA), and the Academy (Oscars).
Miki Redelinghuys (South Africa)
Miki is a documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Plexus Films, passionate about the power of storytelling for change. She co-directs the Climate Story Lab SA, mentors at the Durban Film Mart, and is Program Director of the University of Cape Town’s Impact course.
Ana Castañosa (Switzerland)
Ana is the Head of Impact Days at the FIFDH. This professional program within the festival focuses on developing and financing impact campaigns for documentary films.
Stéphane Decrey (Switzerland)
Stéphane is Head of Thematic Partnerships and Advocacy at FIFDH Geneva. He brings together human rights and humanitarian NGOs, international organisations, filmmakers, and activists to promote documentary films as awareness-raising and advocacy tools.
Stephanie Palumbo (USA)
Stephanie is a documentary impact strategist and producer with over 20 years of experience using storytelling to drive social and political change. She is Director of Film Impact and Innovation at Peace is Loud and was named one of DOC NYC’s 2023 Doc New Leaders.
Florencia Varela (USA)
Florencia is Program Lead for Learning and Filmmaker Outreach at Peace is Loud. She has worked on impact campaigns for films such as Knock Down the House, The Bleeding Edge, and On the Divide. She serves on the boards of The Future of Film is Female and GIPA
Vanessa Cuervo Forero (Colombia)
Vanessa is a Colombian film and impact strategist, dancer, cultural worker, and community weaver. She works with documentaries to spark social change toward more just and diverse societies.
Carlos Gutierrez (USA)
Carlos is co-founding executive director of Cinema Tropical, the New York-based media arts non-profit organization founded in 2001, which is the leading promoter of Latin American cinema in the U.S.
Xeniya Verba (Kazakhstan)
Ksenia is an expert in impact projects and philanthropy, serving as the Director of Global Impact Programs at inDrive.
Diyas Dosmukhanbet (Kazakhstan)
Diyas is the CEO of Unico Play, a Kazakhstani online cinema and ambitious tech-driven platform that has quickly become a key driver of the local content industry.
TUTORS
Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala (Philippines)
Kara is an award-winning broadcast journalist, documentary filmmaker and impact producer. She is the founding president of the Filipino Documentary Society and serves on the jury for the News and Documentary category of the Emmy Awards.
Gita Saedi Kiely (USA)
Gita leads FilmAid, a nonprofit that uses film and media to support vulnerable communities. With decades of experience in documentary filmmaking, programming, and fundraising, she also serves on the Advisory Board of Alternativa.
Participants (Filmmakers)
Banu Ramazanova (Producer)
Set in the desolate Kazakh steppe, once a Soviet nuclear testing site, it’s a stark and poetic warning for humanity's future. It intertwines the journeys of ecologists mapping radioactive areas and a nearby family grappling with the lingering echoes of a past spanning three generations.
Fariza Tanay (director)
After a long journey of studying directing in Kazakhstan and abroad and receiving my first professional recognitions, I became a happy mother of two children—until I learned about my daughter's disability. It took me a while to accept this reality and figure out how to act
Aisha Kamchibekova (Producer)
Film follows Arno, a 7-year-old girl among five daughters who tries to become the son her father always wanted. In her family, where girls are given names meaning “a mistake” or “doesn’t count” to bring the birth of a boy, her mother’s pregnancy deepens the pressure.
Janyl Jusupjan (Director)
In Kyrgyzstan, Darikan shelters women escaping violence. Exhausted and attacked for her work, she dreams of a secure refuge— even as the state’s promised aid arrives as an empty envelope.
Participants (Changemakers)
Lolisanam Ulugova
Tajikistan
Diana Murzagaliyeva
Kazakhstan
Saltanat Murzalinova-Yakovleva
Kazakhstan
Aidai Aidarova
Kyrgyzstan
Nadira Masiumova
Rauan Sagadiyeva
Kazakhstan
Ravkat Mukhtarov
Kazakhstan
Elmira Karmanova
Kazakhstan
Gulnara Ismankulova
Kazakhstan
Alina Zaiganshina
Kazakhstan
A'zamxon Umarxonov
Uzbekistan
Safiya Alipbay
Kazakhstan
Baktybek Duishobaev
Kyrgyzstan
David Tuganov
Kazakhstan
SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Dina Sabirova
Kazakhstan
Adilet Bektursunov
Kyrgyzstan
Liliya Gaisina
Tajikistan
IMPACT GUIDE
Whether you're just beginning to explore how film can create impact or you're already on board and want to get ready for the lab, the Russian edition of the Impact Field Guide, translated and published by Alternativa, is a great place to start.
The Impact Field Guide is a comprehensive toolkit of best practices and strategies, developed by the UK non-profit Doc Society to help individuals and organizations maximize their positive impact through film. This open-access resource has been created with input from dozens of experts and includes strategies, practical tools, step-by-step instructions, and case studies for planning, implementing, and evaluating the social impact of films. The guide is currently used by over 60,000 filmmakers and changemakers worldwide.
Download your free copy of the Impact Guide in Russian.
CONTACT
If you have any questions about the lab, feel free to reach us at info@alternativa.film.
Producers and changemakers from Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
We welcome applications from producers with films completed in 2023–2025 or projects in the final stages of production.
By changemakers, we mean activists, educators, members of NGOs and charitable organizations, social entrepreneurs, and business professionals engaged in various forms of community-focused work who are interested in amplifying the impact of their work through film.
Please refer to Rules & Regulations for more info.
If you only want to join the theoretical online course on impact distribution (the first part of the lab), you can do so without an application, as it is open to everyone interested.In today’s world, storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for engagement. It is not only an essential tool for filmmakers, but also a valuable asset for activist movements, NGOs, and businesses alike.
If you're an activist, educator, or professional working in charities or NGOs, impact cinema can help you raise awareness, spark dialogue, and build deeper connections with communities.
If you run a business, the lab offers an innovative way to strengthen your brand as a socially responsible leader. You'll explore how film can become part of your marketing and communication strategy, connect with creative teams working at the intersection of culture and innovation, and discover storytelling approaches that reach new audiences and resonate in meaningful ways.
The lab will be conducted in English, with no translation services provided, as our panel of tutors and experts is international.
Team building
The lab begins by forming teams—each with at least one film producer and one changemaker—to collaboratively develop impact strategies for selected films.
Online course
The next step is a series of online lectures led by world-class experts, covering the fundamentals of impact distribution. The module includes masterclasses, case study discussions, and practical insights.
Self-directed work on strategies
After the online course, participants will develop their own impact distribution strategies, supported by consultations with lab experts and mentors. Admission to the Practical Module will be based on the quality and potential of the strategies created during this phase.Practical Module
In this phase selected participant teams will continue to refine their strategies through intensive brainstorming sessions with mentors.Final Presentation
Teams will present their impact distribution strategies during a final public pitch session.At least three of the most promising projects will receive support and expert guidance for the implementation of their impact campaigns.
All participants who complete the lab will develop detailed impact distribution strategies tailored to their films or projects. They will gain practical tools, industry knowledge, and access to expert consultations, as well as build meaningful connections with a network of social leaders and changemakers.
