Áčko Film Festival

Ačko Film Festival 🎬 Celebrates 30 Years. The anniversary edition will explore time in life, at school and in film. From 20 to 24 October 2026, the Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU) in Bratislava will once again bring together film students, emerging talents, film professionals and everyone who loves cinema.

The 30th edition will focus on the theme Optics of Time, featuring competitive film screenings, discussions, workshops, masterclasses and a variety of accompanying events.

Ačko began as a competitive showcase of short films created by students from film schools in Slovakia and neighbouring countries. Over the past 30 years, it has become a place where new filmmaking talents, original works and fresh perspectives are given space, while also creating opportunities for filmmakers to meet their audiences.

🎞️ Thirty years of Ačko also means thirty years of constantly evolving student cinema. Each generation brings new themes, new ways of storytelling and its own perspective on the world. That is why the organisers decided to dedicate this anniversary edition to time – something that affects us all and can take countless forms on screen.

⏳ Optics of Time

Time in film doesn’t have to be simply a chronological sequence of events. It can shape the atmosphere, emotions and meaning of a story. Film can stop time, speed it up, repeat it or skip through it – and tell the story of entire years in just a few minutes.

The theme Optics of Time – in life, at school and in film will also be reflected in the competition programme. Student films will be divided into four thematic sections, each exploring different ways of perceiving and portraying time.

DURATION will present films in which time returns, repeats itself and closes into loops.

STOPPED CLOCKS will focus on moments when characters stop experiencing time as a continuous flow.

IN-BETWEEN will bring stories about characters standing on an imaginary threshold between different stages of life.

MEMORIES AND FORGETTING will look back into the past through memories of childhood, loved ones, lost places and events that have left a lasting mark.

New Awards

The 30th edition also brings several new features. For the first time, awards will be presented for Best Production Design, recognising the work of a production designer, as well as a special award for Acting Performance.

Another new addition is the festival’s connection with FTF Industry Days.

For the second year, the festival will also present an award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Film. It recognises an actor or actress whose willingness to collaborate with emerging filmmakers helps young talents transform their first ideas into films. This year, the award will go to Patrik Miňár, who has appeared in dozens of student films.

Festival for Everyone

Ačko isn’t just for film students and professionals. The festival is open to the general public, film enthusiasts and anyone interested in studying at a film school.

In addition to competitive screenings, visitors can look forward to discussions, workshops, masterclasses and other accompanying events.

Accompanying Programme

The 30th edition of Ačko will also feature a diverse accompanying programme, offering visitors a glimpse into different areas of filmmaking and the film industry. Lectures, discussions, workshops and masterclasses will bring practical insights from professionals working across the audiovisual sector.

The lecture How to Approach Casting, organised with Casting Bratislava and Diana Blatnická, will introduce visitors to the process of selecting actors and explain how casting works in practice.

The discussion How to Make a Travelogue, featuring producer Peter Núñez, director and cinematographer Robo Bošeľa, and traveller Martin Navrátil, will reveal the behind-the-scenes story of the series Two Faces of the World and situations viewers never get to see on screen.

Thanks to Ačko’s collaboration with the One World Festival, the programme will also include a masterclass with producer Mehrdad Oskouei and artist Soraya Akhlaghi, dedicated to their film A Fox Under a Pink Moon. The film won the award for Best International Documentary at IDFA in Amsterdam.

The editing workshop will focus on the new Slovak film Lover, Not a Fighter, which won the main award in the Proxima competition at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The practical side of working in the creative industry will also be explored in the lecture How to Improve Your Financial Literacy, led by Marta Šuleková, Director of the Department of Economics and Management at the Slovak Audiovisual Fund.

Communication within a film crew will also be an important topic. The Safe & Sound Film Days platform will open a conversation about mental health, safety and sensitive communication during film development and production.

Film lovers will have something to enjoy too – the programme will include a film quiz with Peter Konečný.

The festival programme will conclude with a discussion with the organising team of the 30th Ačko Festival, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the festival’s preparations and how the entire event came together.

If you love cinema, emerging talents and stories that offer a different perspective on the world, don’t miss the anniversary edition of Ačko. 🎬 Come and discover the future of Slovak and international filmmaking and experience time through the eyes of a new generation of filmmakers. From 20 to 24 October, VŠMU in Bratislava will become a place not only for screenings, but also for discussions, creativity and inspiring encounters.

Venue: VŠMU, Svoradova 2, Bratislava, Slovakia
Date: 20–24 October 2026
Time: Depending on the screening

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