Docu.Reality

Bára, Jakub, Johana, and Mirek are neighbors in the Symbios community housing project. Two of them have been in institutional care, while two have “normal” families. They are all united by shared fears and life challenges. These include not only coping with the absence of a home or, conversely, the oppressive presence of family ties, but also mental health, identity, relationships, and self-determination. They are trying to take responsibility for their lives, and with the filming comes the challenge of how much they are willing to reveal their authentic selves.

Five autistic food critics offer unfiltered feedback on three-course meals prepared by renowned chefs. Interactions with guest celebrities, in this case renowned chefs, allow viewers to see stars in a new light, caught off guard by completely unexpected questions.

Ninety men. Forty questions. A vote is taking place in the Pardubice prison, in which prisoners enter a circle and answer questions about their childhood, male identity, fatherhood, guilt, and hopes for a new beginning. The format follows on from the successful film Matky za mřížemi, made in a women's prison. This time, it turns its attention to men's experiences of punishment and social exclusion. The film was made as part of the author's czeXperiment project, which uses social experiments to raise fundamental social issues and give a voice to people who are not heard.

A joint project by Roman Vaněk and Martin Franc (aka Docent Jídlo) sought to give a somewhat exaggerated overview of our culinary history, similar to what has been done in the UK and, more recently, in Poland. The filming was undertaken by the then internet Mall TV, thanks to which several "full-fat" episodes were created, focusing mainly on the older period, which is perfectly represented by the very first episode called Veveřice, where, among other things, you will see that it is not exactly easy to try squirrel according to a Renaissance cookbook.Later, the series continued with the much shorter Delicious History Light, hosted by Docent Jídlo with his unforgettable silent assistant Lucie. Dozens of episodes were created, entertainingly conveying information mainly about 19th and 20th century cuisine. In this screening block, we will present several episodes depicting the phenomena of "socialist gastronomy" from the "worker's schnitzel" made from Lančmít, through the mysterious REMA slices and the unforgettable fried cheese, to the luxury of the Czechoslovak Pavilón chicken. You will also learn about the role of liver in the gastronomy of the time and many other things.Delicious History is presented by a chef and gastronomy expert Roman Vaněk and by doc. PhDr. Martin Franc, Ph.D., from the Masaryk Institute and Archive of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

The series, an adaptation of an Australian format, aims to challenge British attitudes toward asylum seekers and immigration. It follows six Britons with strong negative views, who immerse themselves in the harsh reality of refugees’ journeys to the UK. Starting at the UK’s borders, they travel through dangerous regions, such as Mogadishu and Raqqa, facing extreme conditions, including rocket threats, overcrowded camps, desert treks, mountain border crossings, and small boat crossings. Returning to the controversial Australian format at a time of even more divided politics and debate on immigration has proved to be a smart move for Channel 4.

Celebrity chef Carla Hall explores the origins of iconic American dishes, such as chicken pot pie, shrimp and grits, and more. She travels to places such as Mexico, Jamaica, Ghana, Italy, and Turkey to trace their roots, revealing the interconnected international culinary history that has influenced American cuisine. In a complete departure from most food travelogues, which help us get to know a place through its dishes, this series takes a dish and explores its history and variations across many locations.

Koujinetna Haka by Samia is a special Ramadan culinary series celebrating the rich flavours and heritage of North African cuisine. It premiered on Nessma TV on Saturday, March 1st, 2025, and the 30-episode show is the result of a collaboration between Nessma TV, French ethnic food brand Samia, and media distributor Ninetnine. Aimed at the North African diaspora in France, the show highlights traditional and contemporary recipes, using a diverse range of ingredients.

Milan Kruml, a Czech Television specialist in the field of formats, will show how quickly the range of non-fiction programming is changing, and not just in terms of food and cooking shows. The combination of different genres and approaches, new ideas based in part on existing concepts, but also surprisingly simple yet successful programmes, and the versatility of certain formats will all be accompanied by numerous examples from programmes created over the past two years.

When cooking ceases to be just about recipes and becomes drama. How did the cooking show phenomenon come about? Why do we enjoy watching cooking competitions and emotions behind the stove? The talk by Matěj Šámal will reveal the development, dramaturgy, and behind-the-scenes filming of formats such as Hell’s Kitchen Czechia.

Excerpts from the upcoming documentary series that, following the scripted drama Monyová, tells real stories of people who stood up to domestic violence. The creators will share insights from the research process, collaboration with expert organizations, casting, and the ethical challenges of working with sensitive personal testimonies. The presentation will also explore the search for an audiovisual language that can treat the topic with respect – while remaining visually and emotionally compelling. Excerpts are presented by the director of the documentary series Tomáš Klein.

The series captures the paradoxical state of public loneliness of Generation Z – being alone in public, in a crowd, or online. It follows protagonists living in the digital age, which has led them to a specific form of loneliness. Being constantly connected and yet isolated.Episodes:Request Stop (direced by Tereza Chovancová)Front Desk in Range (directed by Emma Marková)Concrete Flow (directed by Aleš Pojar)Veneer (directed by Eliška Přádová)

In collaboration with Stanway School in Colchester and the University of York, a group of 8th grade students – and presenters Emma and Matt Willis – are challenged to give up their smartphones for 21 days. Experts closely monitor changes in behaviour, focusing on sleep, attention, and cognitive performance. The programme also features insights from Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and other experts, to reveal the broader impacts of smartphone use.