Lights! Camera! Impact!

• The Human Safety Net's programme dedicated to cinema for social impact returns with a new edition exploring parenthood as a transformative experience and its impact on children, particularly in the earliest years of life, through the perspectives of a wide range of international guests.

Saturday 5 September 2026, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

The Home of The Human Safety Net | Piazza San Marco 105, Venice

Free entry, subject to availability – registration link

On the occasion of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, The Human Safety Net – Generali's global Foundation, whose mission is to unlock the potential of people living in vulnerable circumstances – presents the fourth edition of Lights! Camera! Impact!, its annual event dedicated to the power of cinema to drive impact by fostering inclusion, awareness and social change. The initiative will be held on Saturday, 5 September 2026 at The Home of The Human Safety Net in Piazza San Marco.

The 2026 edition is co-created by The Human Safety Net and the Van Leer Foundation, a global foundation working on early childhood development to lay the foundations for more inclusive societies.

This year’s initiative explores parenting and the profound impact it has on children, particularly during the first six years of life, a critical period for their development and future opportunities. The centrepiece of this initiative is a public event on 5 September, designed to foster a truly global conversation by bringing together diverse perspectives from around the world.

“Lights! Camera! Impact! was born from the belief that cinema can be a real driver of social change, because it helps shape our collective imagination and create role models and new forms of awareness”, says Emma Ursich, CEO of The Human Safety Net. “It is within this vision that this year’s edition takes shape. Increasingly, this initiative is becoming a catalyst for dialogue between the social impact community and the film industry, bringing together directors, screenwriters, producers, distributors and organisations like ours, whose work every day is to support families during the first years of their children’s lives.”

The event is part of the broader “Art for Social Impact” journey, through which The Human Safety Net promotes social change by harnessing the transformative power of art. This year’s theme is fully aligned with The Human Safety Net’s mission and with its For Families programme, which is active in 23 countries alongside 65 NGO partners. The programme accompanies families at risk of social exclusion with children aged 0-6, with the dual objective of improving parenting experiences and expanding early learning opportunities, in order to give children the best possible start in life.

“Becoming a parent is one of life's most profound transformations. Yet despite containing all the elements of unforgettable storytelling, from comedy and wonder to conflict and change, it remains largely absent from our screens”, says Michael Feigelson, CEO of Van Leer Foundation. “Through this partnership with The Human Safety Net and others, we're investing in storytellers who can bring these deeply human stories to life. The next shift in how we understand and support parents may begin with a story audiences didn't know they were waiting for.”

The partnership with the Van Leer Foundation marks a significant evolution for the project: from an annual event to a structured platform supporting cinema for social impact.

The event will be preceded by two days of in-depth workshop sessions among industry experts, representatives of the nonprofit sector, and the media, providing an opportunity to explore emerging trends in storytelling around the transition to parenthood and to shape new narratives that resonate across cultures and contexts.

This year’s key new initiative is the co-funding of an international fellowship with The Black List, supporting emerging screenwriters who are developing stories around parenthood and early childhood development. The initiative is funded by The Human Safety Net, the Van Leer Foundation, Equimundo and the American Institute for Boys and Men, and is designed to provide funding and mentoring opportunities to four emerging screenwriters.

With this year’s edition, Lights! Camera! Impact! strengthens its role as an international space for dialogue and for the incubation of content capable of generating social awareness, reaffirming the belief that cinema can be a powerful engine of cultural change and inclusion.

The programme of Lights! Camera! Impact!, in which panel discussions will be accompanied by screenings of trailers and clips selected by the panellists, is curated by Anadil Hossain, an award-winning producer known for championing stories that advance diverse perspectives and challenge cultural norms.

“Our event has grown over the years through stronger partnerships and tangible support for the vision we have been championing: bringing together mission-driven organizations, visionary creatives, and collaborations to fruition”, says Anadil Hossain, programme curator.

This year’s guests include Franklin Leonard, film and television producer, entrepreneur and founder of The Black List, one of the most influential platforms dedicated to discovering and supporting unproduced screenplays; Estela Renner, Brazilian filmmaker, screenwriter and director, and co-founder of Maria Farinha Filmes, a leading impact entertainment company in Latin America; Malinda Wink, CEO of Minderoo, an Australian philanthropy, working to forge a fair future by courageously challenging inequalities and campaigning for meaningful change; Reshma Saujani, activist, author and founder of Moms First and Girls Who Code, who has spent more than a decade fighting for the economic empowerment of women and mothers; Scott Cameron, Head of Content & IP Strategy at Sesame Workshop, where he leads the international expansion of content from the iconic children’s programme Sesame Street; and Kiran Rao, Indian director, screenwriter and producer, internationally recognised for her films and co-founder of the Paani Foundation.

During the workshops on 4 and 5 September, they will also be joined by Pippa Harris, award-winning producer and co-founder of Neal Street Productions, whose recent credits include the acclaimed Hamnet (2025) and The Magic Faraway Tree (2026), and Uzodinma Iweala, writer, filmmaker and physician, author of the novel Beasts of No Nation and a leading voice on identity, social justice and contemporary African narratives.

This year’s media partner is Ankler Media, an independent media company and a leading voice in the entertainment industry, with a particular focus on the growing intersection of entertainment, media and technology.

The Home of The Human Safety Net is open every day except Tuesday, from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. during winter season and from 10.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. during summer hours. Admission is free.

Lights! Camera! Impact! | PUBLIC INFORMATION

Saturday, 5 September 2026, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
The Home of The Human Safety Net | Piazza San Marco 105, Venice

Free admission, subject to availability.
Registration is required via the following link.