The organizers of seven major film festivals in the Czech Republic, aware of how indispensable film festivals are for the film industry and keen to help keep them functioning, decided to create an organization which would become a platform for cooperation and advocate on their behalf when dealing with state, local and international institutions, both governmental and non-governmental. The founders are also open to trying new forms of shared film distribution, contributing to the development of film-related education and collaborating with other festivals.
The resurrection of the festival scene will certainly only be possible through connection and mutual support among cultural institutions. It is too early to predict what Czech culture will look like in the post-pandemic days; one of the Association’s central goals, however, is to preserve the festivals’ role as beacons of culture, always bringing their audiences a much-needed dose of art, shared experiences and discussions on current social and artistic topics. And, above all, the feeling of relief when all this is finally possible again.