The Science Film Festival is a celebration of science communication for young people all over the world, from Southeast and South Asia to Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Organized annually by the Goethe-Institut, in cooperation with local partners and schools, it promotes science literacy and facilitates awareness of contemporary issues through internationally produced films with accompanying educational activities. The festival presents scientific advances and environmental issues in an accessible and entertaining way to a broad audience. The films are intended to inspire the next generation of scientists, environmentalists and engineers.
The festival has grown considerably since its first edition in 2005, becoming the largest event of its kind worldwide reaching over half a million viewers annually. It is highly international and diverse in nature, featuring films in a wide range of genres, ranging from short animations, edutainment series and documentaries from around the world. The films are translated into the languages of participating countries, making them accessible to everyone, while creating space for discussion about pressing scientific and environmental challenges.
In 2023, the Science Film Festival is an official supporting partner of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The theme is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world. Ecosystem restoration means assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact.
The Science Film Festival is committed to highlighting the importance of the ecosystem approach for the integrated management of land, water and living resources and the need to step up efforts to tackle desertification, land degradation, erosion and drought, biodiversity loss and water scarcity, which are seen as major environmental, economic and social challenges for global sustainable development.
The Goethe-Institut and the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration warmly invite filmmakers, producers, broadcasters and organizations worldwide to send in films to the festival for consideration. Call for entries is open until March 20, 2023, and the application form can be found on the Science Film Festival website. Submissions are free of charge. The festival runs internationally from October 1 to December 20, 2023.
