Science Film Festival

Name: Science Film Festival
Address: 18/1 Soi Goethe, Sathorn 1, Bangkok, 10120, TH
Telephone: +6621088200

From October 01 - December 20, 2025 With over half a million viewers internationally each year, the event is one of the largest science festivals worldwide.

The Science Film Festival focuses on Green Jobs in 2025, highlighting professions that are essential in promoting and preserving the environment. Green jobs provide young people with an opportunity to not only create a meaningful impact on the world, but also build a sustainable career. Given the global focus on sustainability and eco-friendly practices continues to grow, the significance of green jobs stands at the forefront of the crucial worldwide shift towards a low-carbon economy. The initiative was initiated and is organized by the Goethe-Institut, the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany.

02/06/2026

The Science Film Festival of the Goethe-Institut has been awarded the PRIX JEUNESSE Special
Achievement in Children’s Media Award.

Presented in Munich, is one of the world’s leading organisations and
awards dedicated to high-quality children’s and youth television and media.

Since 2005, the Science Film Festival has grown into one of the world’s largest events of its kind for
science communication and sustainability education through film.

This recognition belongs to all the partners, organisers, educators and filmmakers who have shaped
the festival over the past two decades.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

SDGs

18/02/2026

In 2025, the festival reached 953,828 viewers in 20 countries, centering on the theme Green Jobs and exploring how sustainable professions contribute to environmental protection, innovation, and social well-being.

Beyond film screenings, the festival continued to promote hands-on learning through workshops, experiments, and interactive discussions that accompanied the programme. These activities encouraged participants to connect scientific ideas with everyday life, to reflect on future career paths, and to develop practical skills related to sustainability and climate action.

Especially in regions where access to quality science education remains limited, the festival played an important role in making science approachable and relevant for young audiences. By highlighting real-world solutions and the potential of green careers, it fostered curiosity, strengthened educational networks, and once again demonstrated the power of film to inspire dialogue and collective action for a more sustainable future.

12/01/2026

Behind the Science Film Festival awards stands an international jury of experts in science education, filmmaking, and science communication. In 2025, the jury brought together perspectives from Europe, Africa, and Asia — spanning documentary filmmaking, education, cultural mediation, and science publishing.

Their task was to select films that communicate science clearly, responsibly, and creatively, with strong relevance for young audiences and global contexts. The six award winners reflect this diversity of expertise and a shared commitment to science storytelling that informs, engages, and invites reflection.

International Jury 2025

Dương Thi Yến (Vietnam)
Lecturer in interdisciplinary science at Vietnam National University–HCMC, specializing in STEM education and science communication.

Siddhant Sarin (India)
Award-winning documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Docustan, focused on observational storytelling and socially relevant cinema.

Arifur Rahman (Bangladesh)
Filmmaker and Head of Producing at the Bangladesh Cinema and Television Institute, working at the intersection of cinema and social impact.

Theodros Atlaw Woldegabriel (Ethiopia)
Literary editor, cultural curator, and science communicator with the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences.

Iris Petit (France)
Documentary and experimental filmmaker and Head of Cultural Mediation at the Geneva International Film Festival on Human Rights.

11/01/2026

🏆 Prize of the Jury 2025

The Mayan Forest – When a Tapir Gazes Upon You (Mexico, 2024)

This film left a lasting impression on the jury through its poetic and immersive storytelling. Following children through the Mayan forest, it weaves together biodiversity, mythology, and conservation without direct explanation, allowing meaning to emerge through atmosphere and encounter.

The jury was deeply moved by how the film connects wildlife protection with traditional knowledge and intergenerational learning. Conservation is shown not only as an ethical responsibility, but as meaningful work rooted in place, culture, and care. A film that reflects the spirit of Green Jobs through lived experience and storytelling.

10/01/2026

🏆 Discovery Award by Rolls-Royce 2025

SuperScientists – Origins (South Africa, 2024)

SuperScientists – Origins introduces scientific discovery through narrative adventure. By following a young protagonist and blending animation with real scientific research, the film turns complex topics into an engaging journey driven by curiosity and imagination.

The jury appreciated how the film balances entertainment and credibility. The transition from fictional storytelling to real scientists reflecting on their work strengthens the connection between imagination and research. Widely welcomed by young audiences, the film encourages viewers to see science as active, accessible, and open to exploration.

09/01/2026

🏆 Technology Award 2025

Can We Start a New Era of Plastics? (United Kingdom, 2024)

This film follows scientific research tackling one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges: plastic waste. By tracing material innovation at the intersection of physics and chemistry, it explains how new approaches can rethink the life cycle of plastics.

The jury highlighted the film’s clarity and focus. Complex research is presented through concrete examples, without simplifying the challenges involved. Innovation is shown not as a promise, but as a responsibility — grounded in experimentation, evidence, and long-term thinking. A strong example of technology-driven environmental problem solving.

08/01/2026

🏆 Ecofilmprize 2025

Heart of the Osa (United Kingdom, 2024)

Set in one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, Heart of the Osa follows conservationists working on the ground to protect fragile ecosystems. Rather than presenting nature as an abstract ideal, the film shows environmental protection as daily, patient work shaped by cooperation, local knowledge, and persistence.

The jury valued the film’s human-centered approach, which makes biodiversity conservation tangible and relatable. By focusing on people and practical action, the film communicates why protecting ecosystems matters — not only for wildlife, but for communities and future generations. A grounded and sincere portrayal of environmental responsibility.

07/01/2026

🏆 IPST Education Award 2025

Wood You Believe It? (United Kingdom, 2024)

Wood You Believe It? speaks directly to young audiences — and does so with clarity, warmth, and humor. Through animated characters and playful dialogue, the film introduces how trees contribute to climate regulation, flood prevention, and ecosystem balance, without overwhelming its viewers with abstract explanations.

The jury highlighted how scientific ideas are woven naturally into storytelling, making them easy to follow and remember for children aged 6–12. Its rhythm, imagination, and strong pedagogical structure have proven effective across classrooms and screenings worldwide. A thoughtful example of how science journalism can meet young audiences where they are.

06/01/2026

🏆 Visual Effects & Cinematography Award 2025

The Art of Looking (Estonia, 2024)

What links galaxies and slime molds? The Art of Looking explores this question by following scientists who work at vastly different scales of research — from the cosmic to the microscopic. The film doesn’t explain science through narration or diagrams, but through observation itself: through framing, rhythm, and carefully composed images that mirror scientific ways of seeing.

The jury was impressed by how visual craft becomes an educational tool in its own right. Cinematography here does more than illustrate; it translates scientific thinking into cinematic experience, inviting audiences to reflect on curiosity, patience, and how humans engage with the unknown. A film that shows how looking closely can be a form of knowledge.

05/01/2026

🎬 Call for Entries is OPEN – Science Film Festival 2026

From January 5 to March 15, filmmakers, distributors and producers are invited to submit their films to the Science Film Festival 2026.

This year focuses on Artificial Intelligence, exploring how this rapidly evolving technology shapes science, society, education, and its wider environmental and ethical implications.

Submissions are open via FilmFreeway or through the festival website. More details on eligibility, categories, and selection criteria can be found on our channels.

The Award Winners 2025 are now announced on our website. We will also be sharing our Festival Report 2025 in February.

We look forward to discovering new films and perspectives.
🔗 www.sciencefilmfestival.org