WHY VISIT THE CERN CINEGLOBE FILM FESTIVAL THIS YEAR
by Chené Koscielny
You may not know your atoms from your molecules, but don’t let that stop you from getting excited about science and the ways in which it touches our lives every day.
This year’s CERN Cineglobe Film Festival doesn’t have much to do with science in the traditional sense, according to Neal Hartman, organiser of the 7th edition of this event, but will focus on scientific and factual thinking.
A selection of 92 films from over 100 countries by 40+ filmmakers pose thought-provoking questions about some of the biggest challenges facing our world.
Want to sound intelligent at the next dinner party or help your child to impress the science teacher, this is not to be missed! What’s more – it’s free! But do check the website for details as registration may be required for some events.
WHEN AND WHERE?
The festival takes place at CERN Globe of Science and Innovation from Tuesday, March 21st until Sunday March 26th.
WHAT NOT TO MISS AT THE CERN CINEGLOBE FILM FESTIVAL THIS YEAR
Virtual reality, virtual reality, virtual reality
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that virtual reality is all the rage right now and, weird as it may sound, you can experience 360-degree VR projects in an inflatable bomb shelter! Putting VR through its paces as more than simple entertainment, you can view the world through the eyes of someone with Alzheimer’s disease, depression or obsessive compulsive disorder to gain more insight into these conditions or get a closer look at the underground caverns under CERN or get up close and personal with a NASA project.
The VR zone is open every day – check the full schedule on the website for more details.
Films to make you think
The overall theme of the festival is Myths and Realities – blurring the lines between fact and fiction and exploring how this affects our understanding of the world – deep stuff! The films are short, so you should be able to take in quite a few. Films are subtitled in English/French or both.
Sub-themes include: Sex and death: (for adults)
Retrosexe caught my eye – In 2065 a group of teenagers set out on the trail of Retrosex, what sex used to be in the old days. (14 minutes)
Social Media – Facebook, Twitter and beyond…
#Selfie – a 7-minute film about a selfie gone horribly wrong sounds intriguing.
Other short film categories include
- Wellbeing
- Art and Identity
- Responsibility
- Space and Time
- Outcast
The Late Show: March 23 and 24
This is billed as “off the wall” and “just for fun” A film entitled: Life sucks but at least I’ve got eyebrows certainly sounds like it fits that bill. (10 minutes)
Family fun 
This category consists of very short films and all ages are welcome, including babes in arms and in prams.
Ida Peppermint and the invincible monster from underneath the bed (5 minutes) might appeal!
SPECIAL EVENTS
The BBC Documentary HyperNormalisation by Adam Curtis (2016) will be shown on the Opening Night with French subtitles.
This film tells the story of how, since the 1970s, the real world seems to have been replaced by a fake universe directed by corporations and politicians.
The movie explores topics ranging from fiscal crisis to suicide bombings, from UFOs to the effects of the Iraq war on the American psyche.
Another special viewing on Thursday night at 9pm is Idiocracy, a 2006 American film, directed by Mike Judge.
In this satirical science fiction movie, a United States Army librarian is selected to take part in an experiment on human hibernation. Initially supposed to wake up in a year, because of some complications his existence is forgotten until, 500 years later. He wakes up in a completely changed world. He is now in a destroyed Washington D.C., the human race has degraded to total stupidity and, after an IQ test, turns out that he is now the most intelligent person on the planet. Given the task of fixing the nation’s food shortage, Joe ends up in the White House and, unable to go back to the past, he then has to adapt himself to his new life.
FUN WORKSHOPS
Fancy Making your own camera with a milk carton and developing photos in sepia style with vitamin C and coffee? This family workshop open to everyone older than 8 (anyone under 12 should be accompanied by an adult) teaches the fundamentals of pinhole photography.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Collaborative projects include a 48-hour VR film project and all 6 films will be shown at the festival.
The Post Fact Hack is an impact hub for those interested in evidence-based discourse and in brainstorming new ways to communicate in a post-truth world, where we find it difficult to know the difference between truth and reality.
For more information about the CERN Cineglobe film festival, post fact hack, 48-hour VR project and the full schedule visit their website.
