WHAT IS ESFA?

ESFA is a non-profit network that connects science film festivals, filmmakers, scientists, communicators, producers, distributors, consultants, and platforms across Europe. It advocates for high-quality science film production, supports new talents and formats, and promotes European visibility in the field.

ESFA gives out the Best European Science Film Award, hosts screenings at rotating partner festivals, promoting films that fall outside traditional TV distribution. ESFA also facilitates collaboration among members on best practices, creative ideas, and financing models.

Through its partner festivals, ESFA supports science engagement beyond the cinema: workshops, trainings, panels, school collaborations, and incubators for new films. It actively seeks partnerships with key industry events to strengthen its position in the film world.

MEET THE BOARD

ESFA BOARD

NEAL HARTMAN
With a mechanical engineering degree from the University of California at Berkeley, Neal has worked as an engineer at CERN, the European Laboratory for High Energy Physics, for 20 years. He has been actively involved in science/art outreach since 2007, and co-founded CineGlobe, the International Film Festival at CERN, showcasing films of all types inspired by science and technology.
CHRISTINE REISEN
Vice-Chair and Secretary of ESFA, The European Science Film Association, the recently established successor organization of EURASF. With over 30 years of experience in the international Documentary Industry, 20 of them as Commission Editor ARTE France, she is currently acting as an independent Consultant, Mentor, Curator, Tutor and external Expert.
MAYA NADRI
Several work experiences in both the French and Danish TV and Film Industry and a passionate interest in the crossroads between science and art, led Maya to PARISCIENCE Film Festival where she now works as a programme coordinator. During her studies, Maya specialized in Visual Anthropology and led a research exploring the expressions and limits of collaboration within ethnographic filmmaking.
FRANK MOENS
Founded the Documentary Film Festival DOCVILLE in Leuven, Belgium. DOCVILLE focuses on author-driven documentaries meant to be experienced in the cinema. It is the largest documentary-only festival in Belgium and the only one whose award is Academy Awards(TM) qualifying. Since 2023, DOCVILLE has introduced a new section within the festival dedicated to science: ScienceVille.
ONDREJ KAZIK
Ondrej is the head of program at the International Festival of Science Documentary Films - AFO (Academia Film Olomouc). He worked at film festivals and cultural events in both production and program departments. He is a lecturer at the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic. In his academic work, he focuses on documentary distribution, factual TV, and festival studies. Ondrej is an external expert for the Czech Film Fund.
DAVIDE LUDOVISI
Filmmaker and director with a focus on documentaries about immigration, paleontology, and literature. He is pursuing a PhD at the University of Padua on the societal role of European documentary festivals. With a background in journalism, science communication, and film production, he has worked for Italian national newspapers, authored books, and studied at institutions including the University of Trieste, SISSA, and the London Film School.
RICARDO DOMINGUEZ JOVER
Ricardo is a Telecommunication Engineer with Advanced Studies in Science and Culture. He has been coordinating the Robotic Theater Festival “Programa tu Obra” since 2013 and MOMO, a project of engineering, cinema and environment and the ROS Film Festival since 2016. In 2017, Ricardo promoted the implementation of the European Researchers’ Night project in the Valencian Region, which led him to the creation and coordination of the EU-funded project “Mednight” in 2020 and 2021, where he currently leads the “Awareness campaign” as Communications Manager.

TESTEREP 2023 - Selected for DOCVILLE, AFO

UNIVERSE IN A GRAIN OF SAND - Created by ESFA member Mark Levinson

BEST EUROPEAN SCIENCE FILM

AWARD WINNERS

Every two years a best European Science Film Award has been awarded. 

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BEST EUROPEAN SCIENCE FILM 2022
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BEST EUROPEAN SCIENCE FILM 2020
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BEST EUROPEAN SCIENCE FILM 2018
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BEST EUROPEAN SCIENCE FILM 2016