The experimental video essay Volklore directed by Viktorie Štěpánová, a graduate of FAMU’s Center for Audiovisual Studies, won silver at the Student Academy Awards in the Alternative/Experimental category—the first time a Czech film has ever been honored in that category.
The result was decided by the jury of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the silver place was officially announced on Monday, September 14, 2026, during the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). By winning the Student Academy Award, Volklore also automatically qualified to be submitted for consideration in the short film category at the 99th Academy Awards. Once submitted, the film will be eligible for evaluation by Academy members, who will decide on its next steps. The Oscars ceremony will take place on April 14, 2027.
“Volklore is like a year in a digital village. Viktorie Štěpánová has created an extravagant fair of ideas, a playful blend of aesthetics ranging from paganism to fashion influencing—a work that organically combines FAMU’s new-wave traditions with contemporary influences. Through its unique language, the film reflects on the new spirituality of consumerism and the consumerism of new spirituality. We are delighted that the graduation film from one of our younger departments, the Center for Audiovisual Studies, demonstrates that perspective, inventiveness, originality, and free-thinking are values that resonate internationally,” said Vít Schmarc, Vice Dean for External Relations and Development at FAMU.
For FAMU, this marks its third Student Oscar, following Jan Svěrák’s Ropáci in 1989 and Daria Kashcheeva’s film Daughter in 2019; moreover, it is the very first award of this significance for the Center for Audiovisual Studies —the second-youngest department at FAMU, which strives for an innovative approach to audiovisual creation and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. With this award, FAMU reaffirms its unique position not only among domestic film schools but also as a successful producer of short films.
The Student Academy Awards are presented to film school students with the aim of supporting and inspiring emerging filmmakers and contributing to their development and education in the field of film arts and sciences. A total of 2,972 entries from 894 schools and institutions around the world were submitted to this year’s competition. The films then compete in four categories: feature film, documentary, animated film, and alternative/experimental film.
The production of the film was supported by the Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU), the State Audiovisual Fund, and the PPF Foundation, which has long supported the development of young Czech filmmakers and their international exposure.
Volklore is an experimental video essay and a meticulously crafted mockumentary set in a perfectly simulated digital world. It explores how Czech folklore is transforming in the age of social media, where traditions become content, a marketing tool, and a commodity intended for consumption.
The film follows a fictional influencer named Vivi, who guides viewers through seasonal folk customs over the course of a year—but in a world where rituals are transformed into fashion trends, advertising campaigns, and viral content. It draws inspiration from the anarchic poetics of Věra Chytilová’s film Daisies, combined with the aesthetics of the world of Vogue and Anna Wintour.
Through fake chats, advertisements, an e-shop, and social media, Volklore creates a convincing online ecosystem in which authenticity is not only feigned but also sold. Can folk traditions survive in the age of platforms and influencers without becoming a brand themselves?
director: Viktorie Štěpánová
screenplay: Hermína Perič & Viktorie Štěpánová
cinematography: Františka Bakošová, Adam Kácha, Eva Gabrižová
editing: Viktorie Štěpánová
music: Martin Kožucharov, Tomáš Jiřička
sound: Jan Licek
art director: Viktorie Štěpánová
cast: Monina Nevrlá
production: Studio FAMU, Tomáš Šimon, Tereza Medková
coproduction: Viktorie Štěpánová
distribution: CINEFILA
15. September 2026
Academy of performing arts in Prague
Malostranské náměstí 259/12
118 00 Praha 1
