EKOTOPFILM, WITH ITS 44 YEAR TRADITION IS THE OLDEST EVENT OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD
44 years! How many festivals can live up to that? Festival has established more than 5000 partnerships in more than 58 countries. It is the largest festival of its kind within the Slovak Republic. More than 1 million of visitors had attended.
On one platform, festival accomplished to connect public, private, and third sector through sustainable development themes. It has become on of the largest and most visited event.
Since 1974 we apply the principles of sustainable development that has been declared officially in 1992 by World Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
C O N N E C T
Festival is an extraordinary platform that connects two originally parted groups: scientists – technicians and environmentalists. We connect people through partnerships, friendships with ideas and common visions and projects.
E D U C A T E
Festival by means of attractive documentary films educates broad target group in a popular way. Through film premieres we bring the newest and best from all around the world annually.
B R I N G S O L U T I O N S
Festival is an all year ongoing interactive event, which not only addresses the issues, but also help to come up with solutions. Thanks to accompanying activities, presentations, lectures, we assist to real solution to current affairs.
R E P R E S E N T
Festival by means of protocol program invites diplomatic body of Slovak Republic to active participation. We connect public sector, municipality deputies, environment professionals, scientists, cultural professionals, etc.
E N T E R T A I N
Festival is a fiesta, which means entertainment. Thanks to all day screenings and accompanying activities is this event a week-long happening on a high cultural and social level.
C O M P E T E
Festival is a competitive event. The Selection Commission and the International Jury award films in competitions in each category annually. Those awards are one of the most prestigious in the world.
F E S T I V A L S C O – O P E R A T I O N
At the beginning of 2015 a partnership deal has been established, a cooperation between IFF Ekotopfilm and IFF Envirofilm. The result of this cooperation is a conjoint project called IFF Ekotopfilm – Envirorfilm, a cooperation of two established and accustomed events, that are connected through the environment protection.
D A T E S
1) Main event – Bratislava and Banská Bystrica – MAY
2) TOUR – Regional cities: 2-day festival showcase – SEPTEMBER 2017/APRIL 2018
3) TOUR – District towns: 1-day festival showcase – SEPTEMBER 2017/APRIL 2018
F I L M P R O G R A M
Each year there are about 1000 film entries from all over the world. The Selection Commission selects relevant entries, in compliance with the Festival Statute, into the Festival Contest. The selected titles are then technically processed, translated and equipped with voice-over or subtitles. Prior the Festival the International Jury selects the Award Winners. Each title in the Contest is screened at least once within 5 day Screenings. The film program is divided into respective segments and theaters. Junior program and evening program for the public are tailored.
A C C O M P A N Y I N G P R O G R A M
Apart the film program there is a special accompanying program offering its space for professionals, e.g. government departments, institutions, NGOs, etc. The program is organized on an inter-department level by means of conferences and workshops. It provides space particularly for the ministries, being the professional festival guarantors, to inform the public on current topics and themes.
Accompanying program is also for the public. It constitutes of presentations, workshops, discussions, and presentation stands where we can present activities and ideas of our festival partners, filmmakers and festival guests. We always focus, apart from the so-called perpetual themes, on one key theme to determine the selection of home and international festival guests. The festival visitors can thus discuss the themes with the filmmakers and guests, or buy relevant products such as new technologies, food, services, etc.
J U N I O R F E S T I V A L
A unique part of the Festival. The project with special agenda for elementary and secondary schools. We focus on relations with regional schools and plan their participation on festival activities in order to satisfy the highest number of schools possible. Those schools, which fail to attend the festival for capacity reasons, get our films with promotion messages of festival partners after the end of festival. The key of the project is the film program divided into special blocks according to themes and age groups. After the film program there is a rich accompanying program in form of competitions, games and creative workshops aimed to educate the children, e.g. in the field of waste separation and recycling. This is a real environmental education of the young generation. Junior festival provides an excellent space for active participation of festival partner. What makes it special is its own Junior Jury to award one of the festival prizes. Junior festival educates through experience.
T O U R – R E G I O N A L A N D D I S T R I C T T O W N S
After the end of the 5-day Festival Contest starts the Festival Tour for selected regional and district towns. It showcases the best of festival – selection of awarded films. We aim, in cooperation with the local government, to focus on particular issues related to the region. These are 1-2 day film screenings. We make use of multifunction festival venues enabling the combination of screenings and other festival activities under one roof. It is our objective to move our Junior Festival towards regional and district towns. It is an all year ongoing project of educational, cultural and humane nature.
F E S T I V A L G U A R A N T O R S
Ministry of the Environment and 11 government departments has accepted professional guarantee over IFF Ekotopfilm – Envirofilm 2015. Event is under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic.
F I L M S E L E C T I O N
The International Jury headed by Bruce Bucklin decides on the best documentary films. Authors of the films focused on sustainable development can submit to the following categories:
A – Explore Nature – Nature and Natural Science
B – Success Stories
C – Current Stories
D – Shorts
E – Features: Sustainability and Us
F – Kids
G – Short films
H O N O U R O F E K O T O P F I L M
Since 1998, festival’s silver jubilee, the Honour of Ekotopfilm award is presented annually. According to reglement, the award is designed to evaluate the major domestic and foreign personalities for outstanding services achieved in sustainable development, for major breakthroughs, human or cultural activities, or for lifetime achievement, for the development of human society. The proposal to award someone may be submitted by domestic and foreign individuals and organizations. The evaluation, selection and nomination of candidates is within the competence of the Festival Committee.
T A R G E T G R O U P
Festival is with its coverage focused on a specific target group. Its definition comes from authentic data – a survey that is filled in on the spot for more than 10 years. Thanks to these surveys we have valuable information about our visitors – age, sex, education, employment, interests, etc. In 2014, more than 1500 visitors has filled out the survey.
C O M M U N I C A T I O N
Within the festival concept and strategy, classic and specific forms of communication are used. Festival campaign is divided to classic, image, and message campaign. The aim of the image campaign is brand building, as well as increasing of its spontaneous knowledge. The objective of campaign is effective and clear connection of ideas of festival partners.
Festival is pleased to express, that visitors can expect quality documentary films focused on sustainable lifestyle, environment protection and conservation, innovation that leads to more effective use of natural resources. Respecting the tradition of both festival brands, the eco event strive to address professional as well as amateur public more effectively and to provide partners with a platform where they can present their social responsibility and relationship towards environmental progress.