Science Film Festival – programme screenings (Novigrad)

The Science Film Festival 2026 takes place from 2 to 15 November in 10 Istrian towns. Theme of this year’s edition: artificial intelligence and a sustainable future. Organiser: Udruga tehničke kulture “Galileo Galilei”. Programme: 🎬 NeoNature: Let Us Protect What Is Real While We Learn to Imagine (7 min) Director: Javier Gracia Alcaine · Spain · 2026 Made entirely with artificial intelligence, this short documentary explores the extraordinary diversity of life on Earth through cinematic portrayals of ecosystems and species from around the world. The film reflects on how new technologies can help visualise the natural world and make it more accessible to wider audiences, including classrooms and museums. Combining digital imagination with ecological awareness, it invites viewers to reflect on the value of biodiversity and the responsibility to protect real ecosystems. 🎬 Our First Home (23 min) Director: Timothy Stephen Gabb, Jonathan Tim Cornelius · South Africa · 2025 Along the southern coast of the Cape in South Africa lies one of the most important landscapes for understanding the origins of modern humans. Scientists studying the area have discovered how its unique ecology, stable climate and rich coastal resources may have supported early Homo sapiens at crucial moments in human evolution. Working with researchers from the African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, the film explores how ancient coastlines and diverse plant life created the conditions for survival and innovation. 🎬 Sea Dragon (17 min) Director: James Morgan · United Kingdom · 2020 Set in 19th-century England, the story follows the pioneering fossil hunter Mary Anning, whose discoveries transformed the scientific understanding of prehistoric life. Known for uncovering some of the first complete ichthyosaur skeletons along the Jurassic Coast, her work challenged established beliefs about the history of the Earth. As she searches the coastal cliffs for fossils, her determination changes both science and society. Through perseverance and curiosity, the story reflects on how individuals can question dominant views of the world. 🎬 Virtual Influencers – They Say What Their Creators Want (23 min) Director: Ondra Menzel · Germany · 2024 Virtual influencers and AI-generated avatars are increasingly present on social media, blurring the line between reality and fiction. The film follows a reporter investigating how these digital personalities are created, managed and monetised, often without the audience realising they are not real people. Although artificial, they attract large followings, sign advertising deals and influence opinions online. The documentary examines the consequences of this development, from questions of authenticity to the potential impact on public discourse. festival-znanstvenog-filma.eu