International partnerships often involve a lot people, resources, money, different languages and culture. In fact, in such settings, there are heaps of things that may go wrong. Our team of researchers agreed that while you cannot avoid failure, we at least want to learn from it. But how?

“Hey, mistakes are something productive, even valuable!”

Pia Hollenbach, University of Konstanz

Read more on the K4D-Platform: A new culture of failure in North-South research partnerships, by Iris Staubesand

The project “Brilliant Failures” reframes “failure” in North–South research partnerships not as a setback but as a valuable opportunity for learning, innovation, and deeper collaboration.

Researchers and practitioners featured in the mini-series discuss how traditional views of success—like publishing in high-impact journals—often reflect Northern priorities and can overlook the needs and perspectives of Southern partners, revealing power imbalances and differing expectations in such collaborations.

The participants argue that openly acknowledging and reflecting on mistakes, emotions, and structural challenges can strengthen partnerships, foster mutual understanding, and improve how research is designed and carried out across diverse contexts.

The project also highlights the importance of equity, shared goals, and collective responsibility in transforming relationships and creating a culture where failures contribute meaningfully to future success.

Film and Research Process

The project used a method similar to the fish bowl technique to conduct interviews with the experts.

Mutual trust, but also curiosity and new questions arose as participants were listening to each other in different roles. The basic rule was that everyone could step out of the project or interfere with chosen interviews until the final editing sign-off.

Credits

Research: Pia Hollenbach, Eliud Barachi, Elisabeth Jimenez, Nishara Fernando, Sonja Schenkel

Producer/Director: Sonja Schenkel

Camera: Carlotta Holy (Switzerland), Bolivia (Martin Moll)

Edit: Sonja Schenkel

Color: Philipp Ringli

Animation: Sarah Langley

Voice: Duncan Brown

Animation: Alfie Dawes

Production Cordinator: Jenny Aldred

Co-Production: Storytex and Brickwall Animation Studio, London