Created by merging the Young Film Fest and Elbe Dock International Film Festival, the new BOO International Film Festival runs from Nov. 3–9 this year in Prague. Organizers promise a program that goes beyond screenings, offering interactive experiences, live music, and games that blend cinematic storytelling with city streets.
The festival will span three venues—Kino Kavalírka, DOX Center for Contemporary Art, and MeetFactory—showcasing short films from around the world. With 2,259 submissions, the selected works represent the best of international and European short-form cinema, from film festivals in Cannes and Berlin to emerging talent yet to gain global recognition.
Beyond screenings, BOO emphasizes audience participation. Children, teens, and older adults are invited to act as jurors in special categories, giving the public a voice in shaping the festival’s awards. This cross-generational approach reflects BOO’s ambition to make short films accessible, engaging, and relevant to a wide range of viewers.
Short films in the spotlight: programs and competitions
BOO’s competitive sections highlight global, European, and Czech-German short films, covering genres from live-action and documentary to animation and experimental work. The Czech-German BOO, supported by the Czech-German Fund for the Future, presents selected works from both countries, while European BOO gathers standout shorts from across the continent. Professionals from leading festivals and productions determine the winners of these competitions.
The festival also gives audiences a direct role in judging. Categories for young viewers include mini BOO for preschoolers, 12+ BOO, and 15+ BOO, while BOO for older adults allows viewers aged 60 and above to vote. Registration for audience jurors is open online. “We aim to give everyone a chance to engage critically with film,” said festival director Filip Kršiak. “It’s about creating dialogue between creators and audiences across generations.”
Interactive initiatives extend BOO’s reach beyond traditional cinema spaces. The Cinema Walk transforms Prague streets into projection sites for short films, while Sounds of Games combines live music with video game narratives. For younger audiences, Animáky with live music pairs animated shorts with live performances, introducing children to cinema in immersive ways rarely seen in the region.
Learning from failure and exploring human stories
A key component of BOO’s industry program is Work Hard, Fail Hard, a discussion on failure in creative work, hosted Nov. 5 at DOX. Filmmakers, producers, and creatives—including Matěj Chlupáček, Petr Šprincl, and actor and writer Ladislav Čumba—share personal experiences of setbacks and lessons learned. The session, moderated by comedian Tereza Bonaventurová, invites dialogue on resilience in the audiovisual sector and encourages both professionals and the public to reflect on the role of failure in artistic development.
The festival’s curated lineup also emphasizes human experience, identity, and freedom. Czech and Slovak filmmakers present works ranging from the intimate documentary Fénix (František Pecina) to animation like Lepší člověk (Eliška Jirásková) and narrative films such as Pes a vlk (Terézia Halamová).
The European selection features films like Free the Chickens (Matúš Vizár) and Zpověď (Rebeka Bizubová), which explore activism, personal trauma, and social commentary. Several films in BOO have earned or been nominated for international awards, including students’ Oscars and Academy Award nominations, underscoring the festival’s focus on high-caliber, contemporary shorts.
By combining screenings, live experiences, and audience engagement across generations, BOO positions itself as more than a traditional film festival. It is an experimental space where Prague becomes both stage and audience, and where short films are celebrated as a dynamic, inclusive, and interactive art form.
More information on the BOO International Film Festival can be found at the official festival website.
Lead photo: Detlev (2024), directed by Ferdinand Ehrhardt
