Cinephil Boards Isa Willinger’s Documentary ‘No Mercy’ Featuring Céline Sciamma and Alice Diop, Unveils Teaser Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)

Cinephil has boarded Isa Willinger’s feature documentary “No Mercy,” a radical cinematic manifesto showcasing some of the fiercest filmmakers around the world, including Céline Sciamma, Ana Lily Amirpour, Nina Menkes, Virginie Despentes, Alice Diop and Catherine Breillat.

“No Mercy,” which explores gender, authorship and rebellion, will make its North American premiere at DOC NYC on Nov. 13. It had its world premiere at Filmfest Hamburg and went on to play at Viennale, Odesa International Film Festival, Festival do Rio and Festival dei Popoli.

Produced by Ira Tondowski, Alex Tondowski, Sabine Gruber, and Peter Drössler, the 105-minute film is a Germany–Austria co-production eyeing a 2026 release.

“The truth is, women make the harsher films,” legendary Ukrainian filmmaker Kira Muratova once told a young Willinger. In “No Mercy,” Willinger – best known for her award-winning documentary “Hi, AI” — meets women and nonbinary filmmakers whose work confronts violence, trauma, revenge, and power, probing what defines the so-called “female gaze” and how women portray pain and defiance on screen.

The film’s impressive lineup of directors who took part in the documentary also includes Monika Treut, Joey Soloway, Apolline Traoré, Mouly Surya and Margit Czenki, as well as Women’s International Film Festival of Créteil director Jackie Buet.

Here’s an exclusive teaser trailer of “No Mercy:”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Cinephil, whose commitment to socially relevant, visionary storytelling matches our own,” said Tondowski Films in a statement. “Their passion for the film confirms our belief in No Mercy as a raw, powerful, and deeply human story that deserves to be seen everywhere.”

Cinephil, whose slate includes acclaimed documentaries such as “The Dating Game,” “Natchez, Notes of a True Criminal” and “Hollywoodgate” will handle world sales for “No Mercy.”

“‘No Mercy’ challenges the myths around the so-called ‘female gaze’ and exposes the radical honesty that defines so much of women’s cinema today,” said Shoshi Korman, Cinephil’s co-managing director. “Isa Willinger’s approach is fearless, and we’re proud to champion a film that speaks with such clarity, defiance, and vision,” Korman continued.

Backed by public broadcasters ZDF/Arte and ORF, “No Mercy” will be theatrically released by Real Fiction in Germany and Stadtkino in Austria in early 2026.