Ji.hlava Academy is an educational, networking and creative platform open to emerging filmmakers, film students and aspiring film professionals in non-fiction contemporary cinema. It takes place during the Ji.hlava IDFF.

Over the course of four days, Ji.hlava Academy offered a creative lab for those dedicated to making, reflecting upon and sharing contemporary films. The program was designed for aspiring filmmakers and future film professionals who want to push the boundaries of visual style and authorial approach, broaden their understanding of non-fiction filmmaking and become part of the creative industry.

This year, we were honored to have two distinguished tutors guiding the program: Anja Salomonowitz, an acclaimed Vienna-based film director and screenwriter, and Khavn De La Cruz, a renowned Filipino filmmaker, poet, and composer.

Under the mentorship of these experienced unorthodox tutors, the Academy program was divided into two tracks. The first track, Practical Filmmaking, involved hands-on filmmaking sessions where participants shooted and edited short films throughout the program under the guidance of Khavn De La Cruz. The second track led by Anja Salomonowitz, Industry Insight and Development, included curated masterclasses, lectures, talks, and meetings with industry insiders and festival programmers.

"Fairly, it was one of the most interesting and engaging workshops I have attended recently. I learned so much from Khavn and the rest of the participants. The workshop gave me the possibility to learn about an absolutely new genre for me. The haiku I made during the workshop are part of my current film project. Moreover, I plan to share this knowledge with students as a co-lecture of a documentary course next year."

Lala Alieva, Azerbaijan
Participant of Ji.hlava Academy 2020

Head tutors in 2024

Ji.hlava Academy is part of the Visegrad Accelerator supported by the International Visegrad Fund.