Community Film Event - International Society of Nephrology

The ISN Community Film Event: Share Your Kidney Care Story

Stories are as important as the people telling them.

Throughout the years, the ISN has presented dozens of challenging but inspirational accounts of people affected by kidney diseases told with compassion and courage.

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7th ISN Community Film Event: Kidney Stories From All Around the World – In collaboration with World Kidney Day

Help raise awareness and improve understanding of the reality of living with kidney disease by sharing your story at the ISN Community Film Event.

Storytelling is a powerful way to inform, educate, and inspire change. Previous editions have recognized the inspirational hope and courage of dedicated healthcare professionals and their patients fighting to live well with kidney disease. Over the years, more than 160 stories from over 40 countries have been shared, and, more than 20,000 votes have been cast by the ISN, WCN and WKD communities to elect the best films.

Previous participants submitted a film to:

Advocate for their patients
Share their hospital experience
Highlight kidney issues in their regions
Thanks unrecognized heroes
Support their causes

Share your story and make a difference in the lives of people living with kidney diseases and those who care for them. All submitted films will be added to the ISN Community Film Event Map showcasing kidney stories from all around the world.

Find more information about how to submit your film HERE.

2025

	“2025 ISN Film Community Best Film” winner SACRED GIFT Submitted by:Caroline Tait (Metis) (Indigenous Platform Lead, Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Canada); Sean Muir (First Nations)(Indigenous Story Studio, Canada); Kevin Settee (Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Canada); Craig Settee (Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Canada)
	Sharron Rouse’s journey with apol1-mediated kidney disease: embracing advocacy and raising awareness Submitted by:Olivia StMartin (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, USA); Lyndsey Scull (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, USA) ; Hayley Lambert (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, USA); Matt Gelineau (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, USA)
	Positivity breeds resilience despite dialysis dependent renal failure Submitted by: Wan Hazlina Wan Mohamad (Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) ;Muhammad Syahmi Azman (Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); Azrini Abdul Aziz (Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
	ISPD – 40 years of empowering patients on dialysis worldwide Submitted by:International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis
	Heroes de cada dia: sueños y esperanza en dialisis / everyday heroes: dreams and hope in dialysis Submitted by:Milenka Flores Pacara (Dr Mario Ortiz Suárez “Children´s Hospital”, Bolivia)
	Donate life: pablo’s story Submitted by:Paula Marioli (Renálida, Argentina); Maximiliano Bresciano (Renálida, Argentina); Federico Mendoza Correa (Renálida, Argentina); Hugo Petrone (CUCAIBA, Argentina)
	Avia’s story Submitted by:Katrina Chau (Regional Dialysis Centre, Blacktown Hospital, Australia); Tanya Smolonogov (Regional Dialysis Centre, Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Australia)

2024

	“2024 ISN Film Community Best Film” winner Local Strengths for Local Weaknesses: A Lifeline to Wellassa Submitted by:Dr. Udana Ratnapala, CKD Prevention Task Forece, Monagarala, Sri Lanka
	“2024 WKD Best Film” winner An act of love, the first kidney transplant with a living donor in the history of medicine in Nariño Submitted by:Dr. Andrea Caicedo, Fundacion Hospital San Pedro, Pasto, Colombia
	Kidney Care UK Supporting Kidney Patients at the British Transplant Games Submitted by: Fiona Loud, Kidney Care UK, UK
	Making It Possible Submitted by:Dr. Randall Lou Meda, Fundanier, Guatemala
	Prep for Change Submitted by:Alfredo Moreno, La Isla Network, Washington, USA
	The Rising Phoenix: Peritoneal Dialysis Keeping the Dreams Alive for Award-winning Baritone Submitted by:Dr Medha Airy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA

2023

	“2023 ISN Film Community Best Film” winner HOPE SUSTAINS LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF A CKD WOMAN Submitted by:S. SHANMUGHAM, G. Krishnan, C. Thirumavalavan, R. Sethuraman (KG Hospital, Nephrology, Coimbatore, India)
	“2023 WKD Best Film” winner OVERCOMING THE REMOTENESS WITH LOVE FOR A KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION Submitted by:J. Restrepo (Fundacion Valle Del Lili, Department of Pediatrics, Cali, Colombia), J.M. Forero Delgadillo (Fundacion Valle Del Lili, Department of Pediatrics, Cali, Colombia), V.A. Ochoa Jiménez (Fundacion Valle Del Lili, Department of Pediatrics, Cali, Colombia), M.D.P. Duque Guevara (Fundacion Valle Del Lili, Department of Pediatrics, Cali, Colombia), A. Montenegro (Fundacion Valle Del Lili, Department of Communications, Cali, Colombia), M.I. Sánchez Vélez (Fundacion Valle Del Lili, Department of Communications, Cali, Colombia)
	HIDDEN CKD PATIENTS PERSPECTIVES Submitted by: R. Agyekum (King’s College NHS Foundation Trust, Renal, Petts Wood, United Kingdom)
	ENDURING HOPE THE STORY OF DR AKOS PETHO Submitted by:N. Frakes (Fresenius Medical Care, Semmelweis University Dialysis Station, Budapest, Hungary); M. Frakes ( Budapest, Hungary)
	RESEARCH PROVIDES HOPE FOR TRANSPLANT PATIENTS Submitted by:R. SAPIR-PICHHADZE (McGill University, Medicine, Montréal, Canada)
	UNCONDITIONAL LOVE Submitted by:K.P. Pyar (Khin Phyu Pyar/ISN/Myanmar, Department of medicine and Department of Nephrology – Defence Services Medical Academy- Yangon-Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar)
	MIRACLES HAPPEN EVERYDAY Submitted by:T. Kanjanabuch (Faculty of Medicine- Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Center of Excellence in Kidney Metabolic Disorders, Pathum Wan, Thailand), S. Purisinsith (Health Department- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration- Bangkok- Thailand, Health Department, Bangkok, Thailand), S. Tungsanga (Division of Nephrology- Department of Medicine- Faculty of Medicine- Chulalongkorn University- Bangkok 10330- Thailand., Department of Medicine- Faculty of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand), T. Saejew (Faculty of Medicine- Chulalongkorn University, Center of Excellence in Kidney Metabolic Disorders, Bangkok, Thailand)

2022

	“2022 ISN Film Community Best Film” winner For Some the Wait Never Ends J. Meyyappan (Senior Resident, Nephrology, Lucknow, India), N. Prasad, V. Vamsidhar, S. Sabarinath (Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Nephrology, Lucknow, India)
	“2022 WKD Best Film” winner Ilan Lavi Donates a Kidney – And Gets a Happiness Transplant Submitted by:W. Wasser (Leumit Health Care, Department of Nephrology, Jerusalem, Israel)
	Alport Story: From Personal Isolation to International Collaboration for Kidney Care Submitted by:S. Gear (Alport UK, Patient- Patient Advocacy Group, Oxford, United Kingdom), R. Lenno (Manchester University, Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Manchester, United Kingdom), S. Clarke (Alport UK, Patient- Filmmaker and Action Sports Enthusiast, Reading, United Kingdom), P. Walker (Alport UK, Patient, London, United Kingdom), J. Zhang (China Alport Patient Organisation, Patient, Shanghai, China), V. Fronterè (Associazione Sindrome di Alport- A.S.A.L Onlus, Patient, Siena, Italy), A. Zealey Smith (Alport UK, Patient, Southampton, United Kingdom), N.R.H. Hassan (Alport UK, Patient, Manchester, United Kingdom), A. Jardin (Alport Syndrome Foundation, Patient, New York, United States) Y. Cai (China Alport Patient Organisation, Patient, Beijing, China)
	Together We Can Change Lives Submitted by:M. Canales (Fundacion Luz y Vida, NGO, Tegucigalpa, Honduras)
	Anthony’s Story. Nocturnal Dialysis: This Game-Changing-Service Puts Patients at The Centre of Their Care, Supporting Them to Access Treatment When and How it Suits Them Submitted by:J. Skewes, S. Gleeson, S. Morris, S. Govindarajulu, (Queensland Health, Darling Downs Kidney Service- Toowoomba Hospital- Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service, Toowoomba, Australia) B. Judd (Queensland Health, CEQ. Engage- Clinical Excellence Queensland, Brisbane, Australia), C. Mears, A. Salisbury (Queensland Health, Advancing Kidney Care 2026- Clinical Excellence Queensland, Brisbane, Australia)
	Pregnancy in Dialysis Story Submitted by:J. Santacruz (Clinica de los Riñones Menydial, Nephrology- dialysis, Quito, Ecuador), C. Santacruz (Clinica de los Riñones Menydial, Nephrology- dialysis, Quito, Ecuador,Clínica de los Riñones Menydial, Nephrology, Quito, Ecuador)
	Kidney Transplantation: New Life New Hope Submitted by:F. Nobi, T.S. Kashem, N.A.S. Begum, S.U.Z. Arefin, H.U. Rashid, S. Nomany (Kidney Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Nephrology and Transplantation, Dhaka, Bangladesh).

2021

	“2021 ISN Film Community Best Film” winner Life Beyond the Transplant Submitted by: R. Pecoits Filho (Arbor Research Collaborative for Health, DOOPS Program, Ann Arbor, United States), R. Pine (Santa Casa de Curitiba Hospital, Nefrology, Curitiba, Brazil)
	“WKD 2021 Best Film” winner The Mountain in His Blood Submitted by: J. Cledes (Fondation AUB SANTE, Nephrology – Dialysis, Saint-Gregoire, France), F. Hure (Fondation AUB Santé, Nephrology-Dialysis, Rennes, France)
	Finalist Aham Kushalini Submitted by: S. Thukral and D.S. Ray (RTIICS, Nephrology, Kolkata, India)
	Finalist A Successful Story of an Underpriviledged Female Haemodialysis Patient Submitted by: T.S. Kashem (Kidney Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, Nephrology, Dhaka, Bangladesh)
	Finalist A Struggle for a Normal Life Submitted by: C. Vieira ( Hospital Ernesto Dornelles, Nephrology, Porto Alegre, Brazil), J.D. Pereira, M.A. Sivino and C. Schlee (Hospital Ernesto Dornelles, Hospital Ernesto Dornelles, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
	Finalist Stop chronic kidney disease in rural areas Submitted by: O. John (The George Institute for Global Health, Research and Development, New Delhi, India)
	Finalist Mehwish – Challenging the Challenges (Story of a Dialysis Patient) Submitted by: B. Jamil (Tabba Kidney Institute- Karachi- Pakistan., Nephrology, Karachi, Pakistan)

2020

	Winner Hope is a Walking Dream Director: Bhargavi Paruchuri (Vijayawada, India)
	Finalist Dialysis; Is it the End? Director: Abdelrahman Ahmad Alkholy (Assiut University, Internal Medicine Department- Nephrology Unit, Assiut, Egypt)
	Finalist Hope – An African Transplant Story Director: Warle Maina ( Ideas Unplugged and The Nairobi Hospital, Kenya embedded video link
	Finalist Maternal Love Director: The National Kidney Foundation, Malaysia
	Finalist Pre-dialysis Education Value Director: Shaikha Ali (Sand Artist Mr Luc and Medical City Ajman Nephrology, Ajman, United Arab Emirates)
	Finalist The One Inside Director: Tuta Pine

2019

	Winner Dialysis Journey of a Sarawakian (Director: Dr. Phui Vui Eng, Sarawak General Hospital, Nephrology unit, Kuching, Malaysia)
	Finalist Hope Conquers All Director: B. Berisha, College AAB, Masive Communication, Prishtina, Kosovo
	Finalist Riding the Tide of Dialysis Director: P. Kopperschmidt, Fresenius Medical Care D GmbH, Global Research & Development, Schweinfurt, Germany
	Finalist Art in Hemodialysis Directors: A. Baptista, Pro-Rim Foundation, Marketing Department, Joinville, Brazil J. dos Santos, Pro-Rim Foundation, Marketing Department, Joinville, Brazil F. Nerbass Ph.D., Pro-Rim Foundation, Research Department, Joinville, Brazil V. Calice-Silva Ph.D., Pro-Rim Foundation, Research Department, Joinville, Brazil D. Schmitz, Mottiva Movies, Marketing, Joinville, Brazil M.A. Vieira, Pro-Rim Foundation, Foundation’s Chair, Joinville, Brazil
	Finalist #PatientsIncluded Director: N. Scholes-Robertson, Centre for Kidney Research, Beat-CKD, Armidale, Australia
	Highlight Film Dialysis Night Fever – Stayin’ Alive Directors: R. Smith, Top End Health Services, Renal Services, Nightcliff, Australia P. Lawton, Menzies School of Health Research, Wellbeing & Preventable Chronic Diseases, Darwin, Australia