Festival of Real Utopias Cinema

When documentary cinema meets social science research

The Festival of Real Utopias Cinema (FUR) is a singular event in the French festival landscape. Born in 2018 from the initiative of social science researchers from INRAE, Gustave Eiffel University, the CNRS, and other research institutions, it offers an unprecedented cross between documentary cinema and scientific reflection on the social and ecological transformations of our time.

An original format: films and public debates

The festival takes place over two days in November and is structured around an original format:

• Documentary screenings: a selection of six to seven recent documentary films, chosen for their ability to question the world and show concrete alternatives
• Public encounters: after each screening, a debate brings together the film's director, a social science researcher, civil society actors, and spectators
• Special evening: meeting with a guest of honor, filmmaker or committed intellectual
• Real Utopias Prize: a prize awarded at the end of the festival, recognizing the most impactful film

Committed themes for a desirable future

Each edition of the FUR explores themes related to contemporary issues: climate threats, political crises, social inequalities, disinformation, but also citizen initiatives, alternative agricultural practices, associative struggles, and emerging solidarities. The selected documentaries show how individuals and groups are concretely engaged in building a more just and sustainable future.

A festival rooted in the Tours cultural network

The festival takes place at the Cinémas Studio in Tours, an emblematic art-house cinema in the city, and benefits from the support of the University of Tours, the City of Tours, and numerous cultural and research institutions. It is part of the Documentary Film Month in November and collaborates with partners such as Passerelle Ciné, an image education network. The FUR is free and open to all, researchers and the general public alike, in a spirit of knowledge sharing and citizen debate.