InScience 2019
The theme of the festival this year was genetic modification: artificial changes in the DNA of plants, animals, or people. Because things are going fast with CRISPR-Cas, one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the past decades. But:
Who is in charge?
Whether the door for new techniques such as CRISPR-Cas is left ajar, embedded in a series of laws and regulations, or thrown wide open: scientific developments force us to adjust and sharpen our views and ideas. With InScience 2019 we explored the sense and nonsense about genetic modification.
About the festival
The fifth edition of the festival, which took place from 6 to 10 November 2019, was our first lustrum. What started as an idea five years ago has grown into one of the largest science film festivals in Europe. We celebrated this lustrum with the introduction of a new prize: the InScience Jury Award.
InScience on Tour
In addition to the main location in Nijmegen, we organized three editions in other university cities: Maastricht, Rotterdam, and Twente. The programs in these cities featured the best films from the InScience program with additional talks and were organized in collaboration with universities, colleges, and local cinemas.
359 submissions, 56 films screened
20 premieres, of which 1 worldpremiere
172 speakers
16 interactives en special events
The theme and campaign
The news about the experiment of the Chinese scientist He that he had made baby twins immune to the HIV virus using CRISPR-Cas caused a worldwide outcry. Not the least among scientists themselves. Ethical (what makes man human?), religious (man is not allowed to play God) and scientific objections (we don’t understand the technology yet) tumbled over each other. Attitudes about what is and what is not ethical shift over time. Science always offers new perspectives, makes possible what was previously unimaginable.
Jury & Awards
The films from the competition program had a chance to win the NTR De Kennis van Nu Audience Award, the Student Jury Award, and the InScience Jury Award. InScience also awards the Klokhuis Wetenschapsprijs. View the 2019 winners here.
NTR De Kennis Van Nu Audience Award
Which film is most liked by InScience visitors? A selection of the best science films has a chance to win this audience award.
- Artifishal / Josh Murphy
InScience Jury Award
This year we introduced InScience Jury Award to celebrate our 5th anniversary. The jury consists of three professionals with different expertise: this year Rob van Hattum, Ruben van Leer and Barbara Visser en Jim Jansen.
- Ik Ben er Even Niet / Maartje Nevejan
Student Jury Award
InScience Student Jury consists of five students from colleges and universities in the province of Gelderland. Through the Student Jury, InScience encourages young people to be more involved in science.
- Hope Frozen / Pailin Wedel
Klokhuis Wetenschapsprijs
With the Klokhuis Wetenschapsprijs, Het Klokhuis and InScience reward interesting and relevant scientific research for children aged 9 to 12 years.
- ‘Hersenen in je buik?’ / Veerle Melotte (Maastricht UMC+)