AFO Thursday: Science in Different Forms and Audiovisual Formats

The festival has for a long time taken interest in different approaches to the desktop documentary, a trend in which all of the story as well as formal aspects happen on a computer screen. The same can be said about director Kevin B. Lee, his film Afterlives being a kind of culmination of exploring this manner of storytelling. Attend its first screening as part of the International Competition from 11.30 a.m. in the Corpus Christi Chapel and delve into the immersive inspection of archival records capturing extremism and propaganda in all their forms.

The Science on Czech Television section will screen a great homage to the Czech Mountain Rescue Service called Devoted to the Mountains. The longitudinal documentary about its history, present, and people will be also accompanied by a debate with Tomáš Fabián from the Jeseníky Mountain Rescue Service, so this screening in the Metropol Cinema from 2.30 p.m. is definitely worth it.

Moreover, the AFO Thursday marks the start of a unique programme that is part of the Immersive Competition – an interactive mixed-reality walk that bears the title Ashes to Ashes. At the Central Cemetery in Neředín, the visitors can join its author Marika Hedemyr in her cosmic contemplation on the origin of our planet and existence. A reservation and mobile data required, the experience immeasurable! Apart from the Thursday premiere of this walk from 4.00 p.m., there will be two blocks of this immersive walk per day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so look out for free spots.

The section Science Matters brings pivotal stories from the past and the present of science. Among these is the film The Peace Particle screened at the CMTF Hall from 4.00 p.m. This film tells the story of the founding of CERN in the aftermath of the Second World War and of the terror in the world of science after watching the consequences of inventing a nuclear bomb. The idea behind establishing an institution which puts science over politics was that the scientists here would work together regardless of their nationality. But can this idea still last in the present when the world faces upheavals in so many places and is ravaged by multiple complex geopolitical conflicts? The film will be followed up by a debate with its producer Elin Rhys and chemist Richard Reese.

The non-competition programme at AFO also includes a section with the appealing title Hi! How are you? that focuses on finding relationships in the digital age. Owing to its name, the film Finding Connections is the apparent flagship of this section. It deals with a topic that until recently seemed to be only a matter of science fiction but alarmingly appears to reflect our everyday reality now – the possibilities of having a relationship and falling in love with AI. At a time when relationships progressively transfer onto dating apps and many lack direct contact altogether, it is only natural to be enchanted by a technology that always texts back, will not run off, and is simply there for you… At AFO, the film that premiered just a month ago at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen will have its first Czech screening at the Metropol Cinema starting at 8.30 p.m. with its director Florian Karner and producer Maite Bengsch in attendance.

In short, enjoy the fact that so much of the amazing AFO programme is yet to come and pick wisely out of what is truly a plethora of themes and types of experience.