AFO 47

Visions of the future, religion from the perspective of science, the anniversary of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the phenomenon of self-mademen; such are the themes of the 47th International Festival of Science Documentary Films Academia Film Olomouc held from 17 to 22 April 2012.

The main theme of AFO 47 is Visions of the Future – Utopia and Dystopia. The festival provides a sober scientific perspective as well as a plurality of opinion on the threat of the end of the world. It will primarily focus on people‘s diverse notions of the future as well as the concrete visions of future development as seen by present-day science and technology.

This year, 300 years will have passed since the birth of famous French philosopher and one of the first theoreticians of education Jean Jacques Rousseau. Within film screenings, lectures and discussion blocks, AFO 47 will deal with the functioning of contemporary education systems as well as various approaches to the education of children or the phenomenon of gay and lesbian parenting.

Self-made men is a block dedicated to personalities that have transcended the possibilities of their generations thanks to their brilliance and skills. AFO will present the films Bill Gates: How a Geek Changed the World and Steve Jobs: iChanged the World which prove that it is possible to shift any limits imaginable by personal example and maximum involvement; even in a world where individual contribution is gradually disappearing.

Besides the visions of the future of mankind, AFO 47 will focus on another provocative topic; religion from the perspective of science. Is religion a mere product of evolution? Is modern science going to disprove the godly and the supernatural? Such questions will be discussed in a whole range of popular-scientific films, a lecture by Eva Klocová of Masaryk University in Brno and a panel discussion. If you want to learn more about the programme of AFO 47, please, go to www.afo.cz.