Love in action !
a journey through the lens of compassion within the heart of Switzerland.
Your imagination is set to no limits except your own creative thinking!
Be creative and send us your short film! If you could, what would you do for your friends, family, teachers or boss? Or the tram driver?
Or do you know someone in your neighbourhood who is changing things or doing something good for someone and would like to tell us about it?
Surprise us with your idea, make your own film and win a prize!
This call to action is directed towards young visionaries aged 12 to 16 and 17 to 25, residing in Switzerland, urging them to capture the essence of “Love in Action” — the tangible expressions of compassion through individuals or groups making simple, impactful, positive changes in those around them.
Kicking off on March 12, 2025, with a submission deadline of June 30th, 2025, entrants are invited to craft short films of up to 5 minutes. The competition encourages participants to delve deep into the heart of compassion, exploring how simple acts of kindness can profoundly alter and uplift the human spirit.
In celebration of these heartfelt narratives, the competition offers a grand prize of CHF 1’000 for the 1st place and CHF 500 for the 2nd place for each age category.


Film workshop with Filmkids
You don’t have an idea yet or don’t know how to realize your idea? Then attend the Filmkids online kick-off workshop on May 3, 2025, from 10 AM – 4 PM (online, with a long lunch break).
All participants of the workshop will automatically be entered into the prize draw for two Samsung Galaxy S24 FE smartphones, generously offered by Swisscom (Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Smartphones | Swisscom).
In this online workshop, you will receive an introduction to storytelling and filmmaking. Whether you just have an idea, are still thinking about it, or already have a clear story in mind – in this workshop, we will show you how to develop a compelling film story and bring it to life. A professional filmmaker will answer all your questions. No previous experience is required. There will be one workshop in German, one in French, and one in Italian.
Registration for the online workshop with Filmkids.
Your challenge
Entry Requirements
Age | 12 – 16 years (cat 1) |
Residency | Swiss residents only |
Film Length | max 5 minutes |
Call for entries start | 12th March 2025 |
Closing date for entries | 30 June 2025 |
Prizes to Ignite Your Passion
1st place | CHF 1’000 |
2nd place | CHF 500 |
Each category has a first and a second prize.
To further support the cause of compassion, we encourage filmmakers to share a portion of the prize with the film’s subject, where this depicts a real person.
Nominations
On August 22, 2025, the films up for nomination will be featured prominently on this site.
Premiere
All nominated films will be presented on September 5, 2025 as part of the Zariya Foundation’s traditional event, the “United Nations Charity Day”, in memory of Mother Teresa at the Razzia Restaurant in Zurich. The audience will decide the winners there.
Submission Guidelines
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Films must be submitted in digital format on the Vimeo platform and a copy also sent to shortfilm@zariyafoundation.org
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Ensure your film is within the 3 to 5-minute length requirement.
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Include a brief description of your film and how it represents or inspires compassion