The Human Safety Net’s project ‘Lights! Camera! Impact!’ dedicated to cinema for social impact returns

• On the occasion of the Venice Film Festival, The Human Safety Net’s project dedicated to cinema for social impact returns
• Parenthood as a transformative human experience in film is the central theme of this year’s edition, explored 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 through its For Families and For Refugees programmes – presents the fourth edition of Lights! Camera! Impact!, its annual event dedicated to cinema as a driver of social change. The initiative will be held on Saturday, 5 September 2026, at The Home of The Human Safety Net in Piazza San Marco.

Film storytelling has the unique ability to resonate with audiences on a profound emotional level, fostering greater awareness and understanding of themes of inclusion. As a powerful medium, cinema can create tangible social impact by amplifying important narratives and supporting the efforts of individuals and organisations working on some of the world's most pressing social innovation challenges.

The 2026 edition is co-created by The Human Safety Net and Van Leer Foundation, a global foundation working on early childhood development and parent wellbeing. This year’s focus is parenthood as a transformative human experience, a theme 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 is designed to accompany families at risk of social exclusion with children aged 0–6 by pursuing a dual objective: improving parenting experiences and providing early learning opportunities, in order to give children the best possible start in life.

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, further strengthening The Human Safety Net’s comprehensive commitment in this field.

The program of Lights! Camera! Impact! is curated by Anadil Hossain, an internationally recognised producer known for her award-winning work in cinema and for telling stories that champion diverse perspectives and challenge cultural norms.
On Saturday, 5 September, the public will have the opportunity to attend a series of talks featuring some of the most influential voices in the international film, media and impact entertainment sectors, including Franklin Leonard (The Black List), Estella Renner (Maria Farinha Filmes), Reshma Saujani (Mom’s First), Scott Cameron (Sesame Workshop) and Kiran Rao (Kindling Pictures).

This year the initiative is further enriched by two industry partnerships: the co-funding of an international fellowship for screenwriters telling incredible stories on becoming a parent with The Black List, an international platform dedicated to discovering and developing unproduced screenplays and supporting new talent in film and television writing and a partnership with The Ankler, the independent, multi-platform media company covering the business of Hollywood and the evolving intersection of entertainment, media, and technology.

The Black List programme includes four grants, funded by The Human Safety Net, the Van Leer Foundation, Equimundo and the American Institute for Boys and Men, each worth USD 15,000. It also provides mentoring opportunities with industry professionals and access to dedicated expertise and resources for project development, with workshops taking place at The Home of The Human Safety Net.  

With this new 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 event is part of the broader “Art for Social Impact” journey, through which The Human Safety Net promotes social change also by harnessing the transformative power of art.

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 hours 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.