Academia Film Olomouc

The 60th issue of Academia Film Olomouc, International Festival of Science Documentary Films, will take place from the 22nd of April to the 27th of April, 2025 in Olomouc, Czech Republic. The festival is organized by the Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.

1. SUBMISSION
1.1. The festival accepts science films from all over the world, and of any length. The film can be submitted only by the holder of audiovisual fixation rights to the film in terms of § 80 of the Act No. 121/2000 Coll. on Copyright, Rights Related to Copyright and on the Amendment of Certain Laws (Copyright Act), as amended, required for festival presentation (producer, distributor, sales, or director).
1.2. 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
1.3. Submitted films/series must be produced after the 1st of January, 2023, and before the 1st of February, 2025.
1.4. The regular deadline for submission is the 19th of December, 2024.
1.5. Films can be submitted through AFO FilmFreeway Profile: https://filmfreeway.com/AFO
1.6. By submitting the film, the applicant gives consent to a possible screening of the film in the competition held within AFO60, 2025.
1.7. A screener copy of the film and English subtitles or a dialogue list in English must be received by 31st of December, 2024.
To protect our environment we accept screeners to be sent via data storages with the possibility to download the screener (e.g. We Transfer; Vimeo; copy must be available for download at least 14 days and eventual password must be attached).
1.8. The submitted film must be either in English or have English subtitles.
1.9. Due to a large number of submissions, screener media will not be returned. By submitting the film in the competition held within Academia Film Olomouc, the applicant transfers free of charge the ownership of to the tangible medium containing the screener copy of the film to the organizers.

2. COMPETITION SELECTION PROCEDURE
2.1. From all submitted films, the program board of the Festival selects films for the International Competition (films produced outside the Czech Republic), for the Czech & Slovak Competition (films produced in the Czech Republic or Slovakia), for the Short Film Competition (films produced outside the Czech Republic with a maximum running time of 30 minutes) and for the Immersive Competition (The competition is open to all original works, immersive and/or interactive VR experiences, and 360VR films that can be justified as science documentaries.).
2.2. Applicants of films selected for the competitions will be notified by email before the 14th of February, 2025. If no notification has been received by that date, this means that the film has not been selected for any competition.
2.3. Following the selection, the applicant will be asked to supply a screening copy of the film, English subtitles and/or a dialogue list in English, biography, and filmography of the director, and promotional materials (at least 2 stills from the film in the minimal resolution of 300DPI, a trailer, possibly a press book, posters, etc.).
2.4. The Festival must receive the screening copy prior to the 24th of February, 2025.
To protect our environment we accept screening copies to be uploaded on our pCloud or sent via data storages with the possibility to download the file (e.g. WeTransfer; Vimeo; the copy must be available for download at least 14 days).
2.5. The Festival reserves the right to use segments of selected films up to 3 minutes for promotional purposes, incl. production of festival promo video, promotion in partner media and at the website address www.afo.cz.

3. FESTIVAL SCREENING
3.1. Selected films will be publicly screened during the festival, all the screenings are free. The winners of the statutory categories will be selected by four juries (The International jury, The Czech&Slovak jury, The Student jury, and The Short Film Competition jury, Immersive Competition jury). The AFO festival also gives the AFO Audience Award, Lifelong Contribution to the Popularization of Science Award, and can grant other non-statutory awards.
3.2. By submitting the film, the applicant agrees with two, in case of the winning films, three, screenings free of charge, at the festival or its official events, and undertakes that if the film is selected by the organizer to any of the above-mentioned competitions the applicant will submit the organizers on the basis of their call a written statutory declaration in which the applicant (producer, distributor or director) declares the ownership of the right to audiovisual fixation rights to the film in terms of § 80 of the Copyright Act, and that submission of the film was made by a person authorized to act on behalf of the applicant. In case this called for the statutory declaration is not provided by the applicant, the film submitted by the applicant will be excluded from the competition.
3.3. In case a film that has not been selected for competition, displays exceptional qualities, the program board may decide upon its screening in the non-competitive program of the festival. In this case, the production/distribution company will be notified and asked for permission.

4. DATA PROTECTION
By submitting a film, you accept our data protection policy in accordance with the GDPR.

5. CONCLUSION
By submitting a film the applicant agrees with all the above-mentioned regulations.