After KineDok’s programme of screenings and educational initiatives for 2025-2026 was unveiled (see the news), we spoke to Ivana Formanová, the manager of the initiative, about its innovative approach to non-traditional venues, immersive storytelling through VR and its decade-long journey to empower communities through documentary film. She shared insights on how KineDok blends accessibility, education and technology to broaden cultural horizons and foster meaningful conversations around pressing social issues.

Cineuropa: How do KineDok’s non-traditional, multi-sensory screenings enhance the impact of documentaries?
Ivana Formanová: From the start, our goal has been to bring documentary filmmakers closer to audiences, sparking dialogue and shared experiences around social issues. We believe documentaries resonate more deeply when experienced together, in informal, community-rooted spaces. That’s why we hold screenings in non-traditional venues, paired with local food, music or guest speakers. These elements open people up – not just to the films, but also to each other. For example, during Taming the Garden [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Salomé Jashi
fiche film] at Přístav 18600, an urban jungle in Prague, we offered traditional Georgian khachapuri, which sparked conversations about the film’s themes and cultural identity. People lingered long after, chatting over food. These small sensory touches break barriers, making the experience more immersive and meaningful.

Can you tell us about your online manual and how it has supported local organisers, including for live sessions like the one in Romania?
The manual emerged naturally after seven years of community-driven distribution experience. Developed in 2022, it shares our evolving model sustainably, and it preserves know-how while allowing flexibility. Available online at kinedok.net, it’s regularly updated with new insights. Titled How to Set Up a Screening Venue?, the manual covers everything from technical setup and audience building to film rights and programming. It’s practical and enriched with real-life examples and tips, designed for professionals and enthusiasts alike, including students starting school film clubs.

A recent live session in Romania was energising. Librarians, students and emerging curators shared stories and posed questions, engaging deeply with the manual. Walking through it sparked fresh ideas and demystified setting up screenings. It reaffirmed that you don’t need a traditional cinema to bring documentaries to people, just the right tools and support. The manual is an open invitation to make film culture accessible, inclusive and community-led.

What inspired KineDok to include VR documentaries, and how have audiences and schools responded?
We introduced VR because it offers a powerful, immersive storytelling method. Documentaries open people’s eyes to new perspectives; VR places you inside the story. Whether experiencing depression or witnessing climate change firsthand, it creates an emotional connection that’s hard to replicate in traditional film. Knowing access to VR tech is limited, especially in smaller towns and schools, we bring equipment ourselves to ensure it’s accessible across our network. Responses have been encouraging. During school screenings, students engaged in meaningful conversations on mental health, sometimes with therapists following up. Teachers value how VR uniquely engages students, many experiencing it for the first time. Our goal is to blend innovation with accessibility, ensuring that even cutting-edge formats like VR serve community storytelling and education.

How do KineDok’s educational initiatives support its mission to broaden cultural horizons and promote documentary filmmaking?
Education is central to KineDok and the documentary genre. We believe documentaries are tools for learning, empathy and understanding. That’s why we offer screenings, Q&As and workshops especially for young audiences. Often working where cultural access is limited, we see students engage deeply with films on real-world issues like gender equality, climate change and social justice. The goal is to spark curiosity, conversation and critical thinking. A recent workshop on “Still Human?” explored humanity’s fragile intersection with technology. Students learned about documentary genres, AI and ethical storytelling, then developed, filmed and edited their short documentaries on digital identity, surveillance and empathy in virtual spaces. This process showed documentary’s power to ask difficult questions and reclaim human presence in a world shaped by tech. We also train venue managers and cultural organisers, equipping them to run screening spaces creatively and sustainably. These workshops build a network of people committed to documentaries’ power to create change.

What have been KineDok’s key milestones over the past ten years, and what’s next?
Reaching our 10th anniversary was a major milestone and a time to reflect. KineDok began as a bold experiment in alternative distribution: bringing documentaries beyond traditional cinemas into meaningful community experiences. Ten years on, we’ve expanded to new countries, launched educational programmes and embraced VR documentaries. Relaunching our website during the pandemic helped us stay connected and grow. What stands out the most is the incredible diversity of venues, especially in smaller towns or unconventional spaces, as they become cultural beacons. I’m inspired by the “cultural fighters” running venues outside big centres: tiny ceramics studios, repurposed stations, barns, former launderettes or community centres with outdoor courtyard screenings where neighbours join in with the laughter and discussion.

Looking ahead, we aim to deepen this community-driven model, investing more in education, inclusion and innovation, exploring hybrid screenings and immersive VR, and reaching more underrepresented communities. At its core, KineDok remains about creating spaces where people gather, engage with powerful stories and have meaningful conversations.