FAMU Films celebrates its first anniversary: the VOD portal brings films nominated for the Czech Lion Awards and offers a new application for mobile phones and tablets
The FAMU Films VOD portal was launched 365 days ago. FAMU is Europe’s first film school to deploy such a platform to offer the general public access to its students’ and graduates’ films, and its launch marked the 75th anniversary of the school’s inception. Since the launch, the VOD portal has evolved into its current format that offers more than 500 films ranging from young and bold works to time-tested classics by renowned filmmakers raised by FAMU, the world’s fifth oldest film school. With 1,284 registered users, FAMU Films has just launched an application for iOS- and Android-based mobile devices. To date, viewers have spent almost 1,500 hours watching films made at FAMU.
The Glory of the Terrible Eliz by Eliška Kováříková and Adam Struhala from the Department of Scriptwriting and Dramaturgy is the most-watched film of the past 12 months with 623 views. Other in-demand films include the Red Shoes animated short by Anna Podskalská from the Department of Animated Film (393 views) and Still Awake? by David Payne from the Department of Directing (293 views). The VOD portal experienced the most visits during the FAMUFest. The site has had 16,793 unique visitors.
Among other works, you can find films currently nominated for the Czech Lion Awards on FAMU Films. Users have the exclusive opportunity to see Vinland directed by Martin Kuba (nominated for the Best Short Film and for the Magnesia Award for the best student film), Credentialing, a finalist in the student competition made by FAMU graduate and current Department of Directing teacher Jan Hecht, and Carp Xmass by Anna Heribanová nominated for the Best Animated Film. FAMU Films is open to all films made at school including the shortest exercise forms. When it comes to viewers who do not speak Czech, we offer most of the films with optional English subtitles.
FAMU Films App
FAMU Films is launching an application for mobile handsets and tablets that use the iOS and Android operating systems. From now on, viewers will be able to watch films from FAMU easily using their mobile phones and tablets. The application offers the VOD portal’s complete video library. This was made possible with the kind support from the Audiovisual Producers’ Association (APA).
New films are added to FAMU Films almost every week. The FAMU Studio archive still contains thousands of films that await their rediscovery. The school keeps searching for lesser-known and inaccessible films that often date as far back as 1949.
In addition to student works, FAMU Films offers short cameos in which FAMU teachers explain the essence of the various exercises and as well as FAMU’s instruction and creative process to the general public. FAMU Films also presents works completed at the Department of Game Design through trailers, game information, and download links. On top of it all, the platform includes three brief lectures delivered by the legendary Czech documentary filmmaker, teacher, and director Karel Vachek. A podcast section that will offer the recordings of FAMU’s research and development projects is being prepared for launch.
Access from abroad
FAMU Films is opening to users in Slovakia. The school is preparing the launch of a full English version of the portal for 2023. This involves translating the various components of the website and transcribing the dialogues from older films, translating them into English and deploying them on the portal.
FAMU would like to use this opportunity to thank all fans of FAMU Films and student films as such. We wish to give very special thanks for support and cooperation to the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, APA, NFA, and the great majority of FAMU films’ coproducers.
Website: www.famufilms.cz
FAMU Films App - Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.uscreen.famufilms
FAMU Films App – App Store: https://apps.apple.com/cz/app/famu-films/id6444408936?l=cs