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The explosive developments on the Slovak cultural scene, with key institutions such as the National Theatre, National Museum, more recently the Slovak National Gallery and others being dismantled in real time, do not pass unnoticed in our country. All of this reminds us that the institutional context is strongly reflected in the state of culture and art and, more importantly, that we should watch this context and any changes in it closely and influence the developments actively whenever possible, both as active citizens and experts. Of course, we can observe many structural issues in our own country that affect the realm of culture but, unlike Slovakia, one of the more recent institutional changes has luckily been positive for us. The Czech Film Fund was officially renamed the Czech Audiovisual Fund effective from the beginning of this year, and the name change indicates that this institution is duly taking inspiration from good practice on an international scale. From now on, its four independent panels will autonomously support not only the traditional field of cinema but also television art, animation and video games, and audiovisual infrastructure. FAMU has not been omitted from these affairs and can nominate candidates for the panels from among its own personnel. Nominations for the Fund’s Board members, who get to contribute to the global concept for the development of the audiovisual sector, are also in progress. The people who work in our school have always actively supported the audiovisual sector, and I am genuinely happy to note that this is the case again – regardless of whether or not the Minister of Culture eventually appoints them to sit on the Fund panels. The most important thing is that FAMU is neither giving up its right nor avoiding its duty of active involvement in these developments.

Jakub Korda
Vice-Dean for Research and Development

The Academic Senate of FAMU has called a plenary meeting of the Academic Community of FAMU for Thursday 23 January from 4 pm in room U1 to discuss two crucial affairs regarding the operation of the Faculty.

The first part of the meeting’s agenda will be the final debate regarding the Decree on the Distribution and Support of FAMU Students’ Artistic Output drafted by Vít Schmarc, Vice-Dean for Public Relations and Development on the basis of feedback from the members of the Academic Community, relevant authorities, FAMU employees and experts.

The second part of the agenda will be a discussion on the number of both shared and single-subject practical exercises undertaken at FAMU. The number stems from the curricula of the individual programmes and impacts (not only) the capacity of the school and the students.

Both items to be discussed during the meeting concern the essential agenda of the Faculty’s operation. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate for the leadership to listen to and reflect on the opinions of the members of the Academic Community including FAMU employees who are hereby invited. The Dean’s Office encourages initiative and is looking to plentiful attendance.

Karolína Kyselová
Vice-Dean for Study Affairs

Sustainability is not just a ‘buzzword’ despite opinions to the contrary. Sustainability is a trend in all areas of existence that is definitely worth reflecting on, thinking through and making reality through action. With its tangible impact on the environment as well as the wellbeing of individuals, the audiovisual industry is not in a position to avoid it. FAMU has taken an active part in building the Czech Platform for a Sustainable Audiovisual Industry (https://greenfilming.cz/) which brings together the most prominent players in the market. Competitors become allies as lively discussions take turns with sharing experience and practical know-how. FAMU’s contribution is of key importance and covers raising film professionals. Thus, subjects intended to focus on the theory and practice of sustainable filmmaking approaches are being prepared as part of the Green Deal project under the National Recovery Plan. The intention is to raise a new generation of authors capable of operating within the dynamically changing landscape of the modern audiovisual industry. This is not about abstract greenwashing – this is a rational and practical step that will improve the career chances of our alumni and alumnae and reduce the impact of our activities on our own environment. 

Vít Schmarc
Vice-Dean for External Relations and Development

This academic year, the Advent will be a pivotal period for the Academy of Performing Arts. The Rector’s election will be held on Monday, 2 December, right after the First Advent Sunday, and its result will radically influence the direction in which all three Faculties will progress in the next four years. The Academic Senate of AMU will choose from two candidates – the current Rector Assoc. Prof. Ingeborg Radok Žádná and the former Dean of FAMU Dr. Andrea Slováková. The two personalities have two distinct visions of the Faculties’ autonomy and perhaps even more divergent views of AMU’s priorities. Both approaches have their respective strengths and weaknesses.

The top academic officials in certain countries are appointed based on their expertise; in our country, they are elected in a representative democracy system. This system creates a political environment that is not as regulated as the parliamentary election system. No regulation determines who is or is not allowed to run (although the number of terms of office and the nomination methods are regulated). AMU follows a customary practice where either the Faculties’ candidates take turns as the Rector or the existing Rector is re-elected for a second term of office.

We are currently in an unenviable situation, as the entire discussion regarding the future direction of the Rectorate will be tainted with the ‘FAMUleaks’ affair. Roughly two years ago, someone hacked a private e-mail box of a FAMU employee. Since the person had used their private e-mail for communication with colleagues, the intruder gained access to various messages that they proceeded to distribute anonymously to specific groups of persons over the course of two weeks. Rector of AMU Assoc. Prof. Ingeborg Radok Žádná and Dean of FAMU Dr. Andrea Slováková filed a criminal complaint, as did several other afflicted persons. The Police of the Czech Republic closed the investigation on 9 August 2024, concluding that they have been unable to determine facts of the case authorising them to commence criminal prosecution of a specific person, and the case was set aside under Section 159a(5) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The previous sentence is an abbreviated quote from the official note which FAMU received via data box, and this is a fact that is not about to change.

We are faced with the risk that, instead of focusing on a matter-of-fact debate about the future of the Faculties and the further development of the academic environment in higher art schools, attention will be given to lies, speculations and manipulative tampering with information not unlike conspiracy theories, including contesting the conclusions of police investigation, with the goal being to defame one of the candidates and steer attention away from the essential topics and values that elections highlight, such as transparent communication on the Faculty-Rectorate plane, inclusion, development, and the sustainability of the environment we inhabit.

A sustainable academic environment should have respect for the rules of business-like polemic and different views, honesty, and fair handling of information. It is easy to get swayed by emotion stirred by injustices of the past. Our task, however, should be to put respect and honesty first, and contribute together towards creating such an academic environment which will prevent said incidents from happening and help in healing recently inflicted wounds. After all, this can legitimately be expected considering the nomination of both candidates, and as a member of FAMU leadership, I am proud that former Dean of FAMU Dr. Andrea Slováková was nominated both by the academic bodies of our Faculty and the Academic Senate of DAMU.

David Čeněk
Dean

I came to FAMU after almost two decades spent in another university, which is why I was unaware of the local environment and the informal workings of the school. I joined the team at a somewhat ‘unfortunate’ time – right before the summer holidays when schools usually switch to a non-standard mode of operation and begin to hibernate. Keeping that in mind, allow me to admit that I am eagerly awaiting the beginning of the full-scale semester to finally experience the school in its natural creative buzz. In addition to standard educational procedures, the level of shared community is a vitally important part of any school, and this has shaped many of us cardinally during our studies. This is why I consider it of utter importance to care for this environment systematically, make sure that it is always healthy and stimulating, and create a maximum of space for all students to self-express. This is exactly the kind of school that I personally would like to work in. I want to contribute towards pointing our school in this direction, as I believe this is exactly the kind of school that the vast majority of young people want to study at. I hope to finally experience this type of open (and also a little unpredictable, bold, and definitely inspiring) FAMU in its actual semester operation. This is what I was looking forward to when I said yes to a somewhat unexpected offer to join you.

Jakub Korda
Vice-Dean for Research and Development

Upon his inauguration, Dean David Čeněk mentioned the mission and objectives of FAMU’s leadership. Those include facilitating an environment where students can draw inspiration and foster their talents. A tertiary educational institution at which teachers can feel free. A place where our colleagues in charge of the day-to-day operation of our school feel that their work matters. A space for all of us.

With that in mind, I am happy to recount some of the activities that we are and will be pursuing as we embark on the new academic year.

The launch of our intranet site – an information directory for FAMU employees – is a major milestone. We are thankful for this achievement to Helena Bendová, Eliška Mlynáriková, Radek Hylmar and the entire workgroup involved.

The Dean’s Office in cooperation with the FAMU Studio personnel are analysing the school’s capacity and resources in relation to workload applicable to both students in context of their work on practical exercises and the requirements related to the observance of the curricula, and the persons involved in the associated instruction and production. This agenda is at its initial stage and countless man-hours will be required to complete the task, but the objective has been set and the plan is in place, and we thank everyone who is contributing to the agenda.

I would also like to point out agendas that have been set up earlier and are now an integral part of the school. The position of the ombudsperson, to which Pavlína Junová was recently re-elected, is in charge of cultivating internal culture and fair and democratic conduct. The services of school psychologist Alena Čechová are available to FAMU students and employees alike.

We have completed a selection procedure for the environmental ambassador position and welcomed Vojtěška Dubcová on board.

All of the aforementioned activities have been launched on the basis of the needs and suggestions of FAMU students and employees. This is the reason why we welcome your initiative going forward. Let us communicate well again in the upcoming academic year. I am looking forward to it.

Yours respectfully,
Karolína Kyselová

I took part in this year’s edition of the KVIFF as a member of the FAMU team for the first time, and it was tough trying to avoid a sense of pride. Czech cinema is on the rise and FAMU’s share in this process is very obvious. Department of Directing student Adam Martinec showed with Our Lovely Pig Slaughter that the ‘popular comedy’ genre does not have to be synonymous with ‘pathetic’: it can be authentic and rooted in keen observation. Department of Documentary Film student Marie-Magdalena Kochová’s extraordinarily delicate and empathetic The Other One focuses on the topic of ‘glass children’ and offers a gentle portrait of adolescence. Then, of course, there is Klára Tasovská who has graduated from the same Department. Her Ještě nejsem, kým chci být (I Am Not Who I Want To Be Yet), an intimate and uniquely scripted documentary that amazed audiences at the Berlinale, is an enthralling example of an ingeniously minimalist approach capable of encompassing a multitude of universal topics through the life story of photographer Libuše Jarcovjáková. Student films presented during the final commission screenings radiated excellent energy as well. My task as the Vice-Dean is clear: contribute to making sure that FAMU remains an open, inspiring and creative environment and a vibrant part of the international festival scene, and that the exceptional works created here find their ways to the broadest audiences possible.

Vít Schmarc

One of the ways students can tell that their school functions well is when they notice next to no changes as the leadership is replaced. I hope this will be the case in June with Karolína Kyselová becoming the Vice-Dean for Study Affairs, Jakub Korda the Vice-Dean for Science and Research, and Vít Schmarc the Vice-Dean for Public Relations and Development, resulting in a complete overhaul of our Faculty’s leadership.

I assumed the position of the Dean of FAMU for the 2024–2028 period on 20 May. I see my role as a great honour combined with exceptional responsibility. I outlined some of my goals in my concept document, but I am acutely aware of additional tasks awaiting me inevitably. I perceive the position of the Dean primarily as that of a mediator who represents, promotes and defends the opinions and positions of the Faculty’s academic community. While it may seem that the Dean mostly makes decisions, this power is quite limited and, in reality, the Dean is more of a person who turns decisions into reality, with their agenda involving many actions actually verifying and confirming others’ decisions.

My objective is not for FAMU to grow by adding more programmes and activities. I think we have already reached the limit of our human and financial resources. We have been struggling with a shortage of space for a long time. Therefore, I will focus on using the opportunities available to us and ensuring the current status quo is sustainable.

FAMU has a long and glorious history in the fields of cinema, television, photography and audiovisual art. We have been witnessing the continuous development and change in the world of art and media together, and have been honoured to shape next generations of artists who will go on to shape the future. Our mission remains the same: foster talent, innovation and excellence in all areas of cinematic and media art. We strive to create an environment where students can not only learn but also draw inspiration and develop their talents. Educational freedom is of equal importance.

The preceding paragraph may seem clichéd, but to me it sums up the essence of the never-ending quest for the right form of art education. As a Vice-Dean for International Affairs, I had ample opportunity to witness a broad range of approaches to filmmaking education: not one of them was perfect, and each had its strengths and weaknesses. While we could use inspiration in various respects, our Faculty can hold its own in comparison with international schools without any problems. All we need to do is use the resources we have in an appropriate and sensible way.

I decided to offer the Vice-Deans space in the forewords to this newsletter so that they can communicate with the academic community and the entire Faculty. Accordingly, we will take turns writing these forewords.

I wish us all a beautiful start of the summer.

Yours sincerely,

David Čeněk