Science Film Festival
Knowledge Through Entertainment
The Science Film Festival is a celebration of science communication in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America: In cooperation with local partners it promotes science literacy and facilitates awareness of contemporary scientific, technological and environmental issues through international films with accompanying educational activities. The Science Film Festival presents scientific issues accessibly and entertainingly to a broad audience and demonstrates that science can be fun. The event has grown considerably since its first edition in 2005, becoming the largest event of its kind worldwide.
The Science Film Festival 2026 takes place in multiple countries, celebrating the best in international science communication. This year, the festival explores how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping our world while raising critical questions about its ethical, social, and environmental impact.
96 films from 29 countries are in the official selection this year and will be shown at the Science Film Festival 2026.
Theme of the year 2026: Artificial Intelligence
The Science Film Festival focuses on Artificial Intelligence in 2026, a technology that is rapidly transforming societies and raising fundamental questions about the future. AI is not only shaping industries, economies, and everyday life, but it is also increasingly being applied in environmental and sustainability contexts. From tracking biodiversity with advanced image recognition, to optimizing renewable energy systems, to modeling climate change scenarios, AI offers powerful tools that can support conservation and sustainable development.
Yet, these opportunities also come with challenges. The rise of AI raises pressing questions about data use, transparency, equity, and its own environmental footprint, including the significant energy demands of large-scale computing. As with many new technologies, the impact of AI depends on how societies choose to apply it. By highlighting both the potential and the pitfalls of AI, the Science Film Festival 2026 aims to foster reflection on this fast-evolving field.
The festival invites audiences to engage with films that explore the role of AI in science, education, and sustainability, and to consider how this technology can be harnessed responsibly in addressing some of the greatest challenges of our time.
