On 9 June, Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences will be screening a total of four science films – complete with an open-air cinema atmosphere – at its Kleve campus as part of the Best of InScience Film Festival.
Why do people need science? What does science make possible? Is everything that is scientifically possible also desirable? These are the questions at the heart of the InScience Film Festival. Held annually in Nijmegen, the event is one of the largest festivals for scientific documentaries in Europe, showcasing over 50 films and bringing together more than 150 experts. Its aim is to foster dialogue between science, the arts and society.
Last year, Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences took part as a partner for the first time. Among other things, the partnership involves organising a ‘Best of InScience’ event on the German side. “This collaboration demonstrates how important cross-border activities in the region are to us and that, as a university, we want to make the most of every opportunity to communicate scientific topics,” said Dr Heide Naderer, President of Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences. And Johan van de Woestijne, InScience Festival Director, adds: “Through this partnership, we are expanding communication and the vital exchange on precisely these kinds of topics.”
A selection of the best films will now be screened outside the Netherlands for the first time in a very special setting. Following the Open Day, a total of four documentaries will be shown at the Kleve campus. After each screening, the audience will have the opportunity to take part in a discussion. “This underlines our commitment as a university to consistently and deliberately bring scientific content to the public. The Open Day provides the perfect context for this,” explains Dr Naderer. Van de Woestijne is also impressed: “With this combination, we will certainly be able to reach an even wider audience. The films are designed to be entertaining, inspiring and emotionally engaging. What’s particularly special is the open-air cinema atmosphere at the late-night screening.” Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences has enlisted the support of cinema expert Reinhard Berens from the management team at Tichelpark Cinemas to help organise the event. A festival of this kind is unprecedented in the German higher education landscape.
The following selected films feature striking imagery, engaging dialogue and thought-provoking commentary:
‘Bill Nye: Science Guy’ (4.00 pm, in the Lecture Theatre Centre, Building 01, in English) – A fascinating portrait of the well-known US children’s TV presenter, who acts as an ambassador for science at a time when religious beliefs and ‘alternative facts’ take precedence over logic. Bill Nye is a man on a mission: to stop the spread of anti-scientific thinking around the world.
‘Food Evolution’ (5.30 pm, in the Lecture Theatre Centre, Building 01, in English) – The debate over genetically modified food is persistent and polarising. In search of solutions to global food shortages, the film takes viewers to the papaya plantations of Hawaii, the banana farms in Uganda and the maize fields of Iowa. These locations provide the backdrop for a heated debate between supporters and opponents of genetic engineering, with arguments and emotions locked in an uneven battle.
“The Farthest” (7.00 pm in the Lecture Theatre Centre, Building 01, in English) – Having travelled more than 19 billion kilometres, Voyager 1 is the first man-made object to have reached the depths of space. Featuring interviews and previously unseen archive footage, “The Farthest” pays tribute to those who, driven by curiosity, reason and a determination to explore the cosmos, have taken science further than anyone ever imagined. A documentary about courage, dreams and emotions.
‘Chasing Coral’ (10.00 pm, open-air cinema at the library, Building 18, in German) – 2018 is the International Year of the Coral Reef. All over the world, coral reefs are disappearing at an unprecedented rate. As a result, a beautiful world is in danger of being lost forever. A team of divers, photographers and scientists investigates the causes of this phenomenon and embarks on a fascinating ocean adventure.
The fifth screening as part of the ‘Best of InScience’ programme will be the film ‘Pre-Crime’ (in German), showing on 10 June at 12.00 pm at the Tichelpark Cinemas in Kleve. The documentary raises some of the most pressing questions of our time: How much freedom are we prepared to give up in exchange for the promise of absolute security and the limited logic of security software?
Anyone interested can get a sneak preview of the films via the following link: www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/best-of-inscience
