This year, we are organizing the 8th edition of the Pražský filmový kufr (Prague Film Suitcase) festival for young filmmakers. It is a several-month project for children and young filmmakers under 20 years of age. They can think about any topic and develop it according to their interest and focus as a feature, documentary or animated film. For those who want to explore the possibilities of film completely freely, the experimental film category is also available this year. In addition, everyone will have the opportunity to pursue the free theme of (In)dependence. They can also submit their unrealised screenplay or film poster to the competition. This year will be for the second time workshops for teaching staff, which we are organising in collaboration with AsFAV and CINED, providing practical guidance on how to use documentary or animation in the classroom.
The organisers aim to create a functional platform for young filmmakers to meet and receive feedback from their generational peers as well as masters of the art of filmmaking. Therefore, they consider the weekend workshops and consultations with jury members during FestDay to be an integral and essential part of the project, during which there will be an opportunity to get practical instructions and tips on how to best handle the various parameters of the creative process, how to avoid possible mistakes in the creation of the script and visual concept of the film, when working with sound, editing, actors, tricks, etc. In a broader sense, young filmmakers naturally broaden their awareness of the field of media and audiovisual education. We do not forget about the teaching staff either, and we regularly organise seminars for them on the specific possibilities of using audiovisual production when working with children.
Already in previous editions, with more than 1,000 entries from over 4,000 competitors, it has been confirmed that this show offers children and young people an attractive way to reflect on the world around them without censorship, control or school rules, using means of expression that are now commonly available and, for most, very attractive. They will be given the space to showcase what they often love to do and devote much of their free time to. This is the only way to check that they are listened to and understood. It allows their parents and teaching staff to support them in their creativity, to help them evaluate and cultivate an activity that is sometimes perceived negatively by those around them as useless, low-quality or superficial.
Already in previous editions, with more than 1,200 entries from over 4,500 competitors, it has been confirmed that this show offers children and young people an attractive way to reflect on the world around them without censorship, control or school rules, using means of expression that are now commonly available and, for most, very attractive. They will be given the space to showcase what they often love to do and devote much of their free time to. This is the only way to check that they are listened to and understood. It allows their parents and teaching staff to support them in their creativity, to help them evaluate and cultivate an activity that is sometimes perceived negatively by those around them as useless, low-quality or superficial.
Competition categories
Feature Film - up to 20 minutes
Documentary and Reportage - up to 15 minutes
Animation - up to 8 minutes
Experimental film - up to 5 minutes
Unrealised screenplay - up to 10 A4 pages of text
Film poster - A4, A3, A2
This year there is a free theme (In)Dependence.
Jury and prizes
Films for the final competition are selected and evaluated by the festival jury, which is an advisory body of the festival board.
The jury is composed of prominent representatives of culture, filmmaking, theory, criticism, filmmakers, producers and festival partners.
The jury will evaluate all competition sections.
A member of the jury who has contributed to the creation of any of the films accepted into the competition may not judge that film. All jury members are bound by confidentiality.
Members of the Festival Board and the production team may attend the jury meetings but may not participate in the voting.
It is expected that the main prize will be awarded to the winner in each age and genre category, that the jury will award prizes for the individual creative components of the films (theme/script, cinematography, editing, sound, acting, artwork), that the best unrealised script and film poster will be awarded, that the Audience Award will be awarded, and that a special prize will be awarded for the thematic section (for the grasp of the theme).
The prizes will be awarded during the FestDay ceremony.
Awarded filmmakers are expected to attend the award ceremony during the FestDay.
In-kind prizes will be awarded only to the authors present or to their authorised representatives. Unclaimed prizes will be forfeited to the next edition.
The organizer reserves the right not to award any of the prizes.
Audience Award - audience vote
Audience voting will take place online on the festival website, where the accepted films will be published. The film with the highest number of votes will be awarded the Audience Award.
Audience voting will begin on 1 October 2024 and will close on 25 October 2024 at 23:59.
The Audience Award will be presented at the awards ceremony during FestDay.