Academia Film Olomouc

About

Academia Film Olomouc is the oldest festival in the Czech Republic to focus on consistent mapping of science documentary film. It was founded in 1966 with mutual initiative of Short Film Prague, the Palacký University and the Czechoslovak Academy of Science. Presently the Palacký University in Olomouc is its main organizer.

The organization of the festival goes into the hands of the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Studies of the Palacký University. The organizers return to its spring term, Petr Bilík becomes its director. AFO begins to co-operate with the non-government organization JSAF, the organizer of the Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival. The aim of the new organizational team is to not overlap the program of the Jihlava festival, to anchor the program structure tightly within educational and science documentary films and strengthen its international character. This is why AFO gives space to educational programs by BBC or Discovery Channels. Academia Film Olomouc does not want to be just a spectacle show that would “be forced to change its face according to moods and momentary attitudes of its audience,“ as Petr Bilík puts it. We want it to be “an artistic encyclopedia of informative and inspirational experiences”. The festival adopted the name the International Festival of Science Documentary Films. “Watch and Know” is its motto. New conception and organizers have the effect of increase of interest about the festival particularly on the part of wider public and AFO becomes an event of a worldwide importance.

Awards

Three statutary awards and three non-statutary awards are given to films screened in two competitions of the festival – The Best World Science Film Award (World Competition), The RWE Best Czech Science Film Award (Czech Competition), Student Jury Award (World Competition), Audience Award (Czech Competition + World Competition), The Best Czech Science Film in Natural Sciences (Vesmír Magazine Award), The Best Czech Science Film in Humanities (Dějiny a Současnost Magazine Award). 

Rules

• The festival accepts science films from all over the world, and of any length.
• Science documentary films present the results of systematic observation and exploration of the world in us and around us. Films focused on scientists as professionals or personalities are also considered as science documentary films. The main theme of the film may also become science itself as an institution and a firm part of our society, including its ethical boundaries, methods and procedures.
• In case of series, one episode or the whole series can be submitted. The festival reserves a right to select one episode of the submitted series for the competition;
• Submitted films/series must be produced after January 1, 2021.
• Subtitles language: english

Premiere Requirements

No premiere requirement

Jury and Organizers

Jakub Ralis - FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Jiri Slavik - PROGRAMMER

Jana Jedlickova - PROGRAMMER

Ondrej Kazik - PROGRAMMER

Adriana Belesova - PROGRAMMER

Jury

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
- Irem Couchouron
- Ekaterina Eremenko
- Zdeněk Holý
- Michelangelo Messina 
- Pete West