PAF – Festival of Film Animation and Contemporary Art will take place in Olomouc, Czech Republic from 1–4 December. Taking John Berger's essay Why Look At Animals? as its starting point, the festival brings together a selection of audio and visual artists’ responses to the aforementioned essay, which they received with their invitation to participate. “Animals are a natural part of many stories, films and pieces of art,” declares the festival. “In 1977 [Berger] proceeded from the assumption that animals are part of the human environment and that animals are both similar and dissimilar to us. This essay thematses the humanising of animals and the significance of zoological gardens”.

Participating artists include Ferda, Ondřej Ježek, Lolina, John T Gast, Edith Karlson, Stanislav Komárek, Bill Kouligas & Harm van den Dorpel, MESH & Michael Guidetti, Jakub Jansa, Andrea Průchová, Punťa, Pavel Ryška and Matěj Smetana. Ongoing screenings, presentations and exhibitions include an Aport Animation programme featuring films about the history of animation and developments in computer game technology involving Malvína Balvínová, Eliška Děcká, Miloš Henkrich, Dorota Holubová, Pavel Horáček, Lenka Ivančíková and others. PAF 2016 also has a film workshop programme and exhibition series.

PAF runs from 1–4 December at various venues in Olomouc.

You can listen to a series of animal themed mixes by participating artists here. And more information can be found on their website.