Following the film, there will be a Q&A with:

• Laritza Diversent, Human Rights Lawyer and Executive Director of Cubalex
• Ondřej Kamenický, Director of the One World International Human Rights Film Festival in the Czech Republic
• Moderated by: Matouš Horčička, Event and Project Manager of the Center for Human Rights and Democracy at People in Need.

To the West, In Zapata
Deep inside Cuba’s Zapata Swamp, Landi hunts crocodiles armed only with rope and his bare hands, driven by the urgent need to feed his family. At home, his wife Mercedes cares for their autistic son, anxiously waiting and wondering if and when her husband will return. Each hunt pulls Landi deeper into the swamp for days at a time, leaving his family behind in a fragile balance of trust and fear. Shot in striking black and white, the haunting beauty of the biosphere reserve stands in stark contrast to the family’s desperate struggle for survival. To the West, in Zapata follows this devoted family through an unending cycle of separation and reunion, revealing the extreme lengths love demands when survival is at stake.

Directed by David Bim, Cuba/Spain, 2025, 74 min. in Spanish with English subtitles
Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRMUJHi8-ks

DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY - David Bim
David Bim studied directing at the International Film School of Cuba (EICTV). Since 2017, he has created audiovisual and cultural projects for Taller Chullima, a nonprofit cultural space in Havana where international artists lead workshops and masterclasses for local communities engaged in the arts. Alongside his creative work, Bim has been active as an educator since 2021.

In 2023, he founded and currently directs FICCLAB, an international EICTV development program dedicated to first feature films, offering workshops, masterclasses, and one-on-one mentoring with international filmmakers, script doctors, and producers. As a director, Bim spent eight years developing and filming his debut feature documentary, To the West, in Zapata. The film premiered at Visions du Réel in Nyon in 2025, where it received both the International Critics’ Prize (FIPRESCI) and the Special Jury Prize in the Burning Lights Competition.

Event Details:
Date/Time: Friday, March 27, at 6 pm

Location: Embassy of the Czech Republic
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW. Washington, DC 20008

RSVP: https://Tothewest.eventbrite.com
Please note: When registering, please list your name exactly as it appears on your government issued photo ID.

This event is presented in collaboration with the DC Environmental Film Festival, the Embassy of the Czech Republic, and People in Need, and is curated by the One World Film Festival.

Organizations:
The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital (DCEFF) is the world’s premier showcase of environmental films, held annually each March in Washington, DC. Founded in 1993, the festival presents a wide range of documentaries and short films that explore environmental issues, conservation, and the relationship between people and the natural world. Screenings take place across the city at museums, embassies, universities, and cultural institutions, often accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, scientists, and environmental leaders. For more info, visit: https://dceff.org

Cubalex is a human rights NGO founded in Cuba in 2010. Its headquarters were raided in 2016 and its team was forced into exile. From the United States, it continues to provide free legal advice, document human rights violations, and represent cases before the United Nations. For more info, visit: https://cubalex.org/

One World is an internationally recognized human rights film festival based in the Czech Republic that uses documentary cinema as a powerful tool for social reflection and dialogue. Organized by People in Need, One World presents films that address pressing global issues such as human rights, freedom, social justice, and dignity, while creating space for public discussion, education, and civic engagement. Through screenings, debates, and educational programs, One World encourages audiences to better understand the world around them and to see human rights as a shared responsibility.
For more info, visit: https://www.oneworld.cz/

People in Need is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded on the principles of humanism, freedom, equality, and solidarity. It places human dignity and freedom at the center of its work, believing that people everywhere have the right to make decisions about their own lives and to enjoy the rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Through its activities, People in Need strives to build an open, informed, and engaged society—one that approaches global and local challenges responsibly and views cultural, ethnic, racial, and other differences as a source of enrichment rather than conflict. Headquartered in Prague, People in Need remains one of the Czech Republic’s largest and most respected NGOs, combining international humanitarian and development work with strong domestic programs focused on human rights education, media literacy, and social inclusion. For more info, visit: https://www.peopleinneed.net/

Embassy Policy: The Embassy of the Czech Republic disclaims and excludes any and all liability for any loss, injury, or damage, alleged to have been suffered by or as a result of or otherwise on its premises. No large bags are allowed. Small purses may be checked as you pass through security for entrance. RSVP confirmation and government issued photo ID required. Please list your name exactly as it appears on your government issued photo ID.

Parking: Non-metered parking is available on Spring of Freedom Street and Tilden Street.

Closest Metro: The Embassy is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Van Ness Metro Station.