This year’s Press Play Prague festival, a five-day international festival that brings together a selection of journalism-focused documentaries and feature films, sparking conversations about the media’s role in society and the power of storytelling to shape public understanding, will take place from October 7 to 11 at Kino Atlas, one of the oldest cinemas in the Czech Republic.
This year’s theme is: “Journalism Under Pressure.” In an era defined by polarisation, propaganda, and growing threats to independent reporting, the festival will explore how journalists navigate ethical dilemmas, censorship, and powerful actors who seek to shape the news.
Audiences can expect films that place viewers in the front row of the profession’s moral conflicts and personal sacrifices, revealing the daily struggle to maintain an independent voice in the face of mounting external threats. The festival’s programming is intended both as a tribute to journalists who risk much in pursuit of truth and as a sober reminder of what is at stake for democracies everywhere.
Organisers have curated several programme strands to reflect the theme. The Curated Narratives lineup is assembled by the festival team and features filmmakers, actors or journalists who have a direct connection to at least one film in that section. Uncharted Frames will present a varied collection of visual works from documentaries that do not fit competitive categories to innovative online video projects offering alternative perspectives on the challenges facing the news profession. The festival will also showcase a set of fictional marquee films chosen for their thematic relevance and artistic merit, demonstrating how storytelling can deepen public understanding of journalism’s social role.
Press Play Prague’s competitive programme will focus on non-fiction work and is divided into two categories. The Press Play DOCS competition seeks full-length documentaries of 60 minutes or more, produced after January 1, 2022, that either centre on a journalist or critically examine an issue affecting the news profession. The Press Play SHORTS competition focuses on short documentary films of 27 minutes or less, produced after January 1, 2022, that showcase pressing challenges confronting journalism.
Note that Project Syndicate is an international non-profit media organisation that publishes and syndicates commentary and analysis on global issues, including economics, politics, and culture, while Deník Referendum is an independent online daily funded mainly by its readers. The news and analysis website is creating a space for bold, transformative journalism on social and environmental issues, with a strong focus on civil rights and the quality of democracy.
For more information, please visit: https://www.pressplayprague.cz/
