The first edition of the #LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival -competition organized by the Science Museum of the University of Navarra - has brought together a total of 1,953 participating productions from 107 different countries. Bienvenido León, director of the festival and professor of Science Journalism at the University of Navarra, highlighted the success of participation in this first edition and the quality of the works presented: "It has been a pleasant surprise, not only the enormous amount of works presented but also the very high level. We are fortunate to have some of the best audiovisual productions on science that are made today, worldwide.

A preliminary jury, made up of researchers and professors from the University of Navarra, evaluated the works submitted and selected 45 productions from 17 different countries for the final phase. The finalists come from the United States, Australia, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Argentina, Germany, Russia, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Iran, China, Israel, Croatia, Holland and Spain. Among the Spanish works in the final phase are productions from Zaragoza, Córdoba, Vigo, Navarra, Madrid and Guipúzcoa.

These entries are being judged by an expert jury and multidisciplinary: Iván Bouso, executive producer of National Geographic Partners, Europe & Africa; Bibiana González, programming director of Discovery Networks Spain& Portugal; Alessandro Griffini, president of the association International for Media in Science; Vladimir de Semir, science journalist and director of Master's Degree in Science, Medical and Environmental Communication; María del Carmen Erviti, professor and researcher in Science Communication at the University of Navarra; and Tommaso Cancellario, PhD student of the School of Sciences of the same university.

Finalists are eligible for the highest recognition in the following festival categories: documentary; television report or production; short fiction film; short documentary film; video for the web or social networks; student production; and work produced or co-produced by a university. 

The winners in each category will be announced on Friday, September 20 at the Festival's awards ceremony submission to be held at the University of Navarra Museum and presented by science journalist América Valenzuela.

#LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival is an international scientific film competition that has promoted the Science Museum of the University of Navarra and that has as goal bring science to new generations with a current look of the scientific knowledge . In this sense, Ignacio López-Goñi, director of the Science Museum of the University of Navarra, stressed the importance of bringing science to young people as an engine for social change: "We want to transmit our passion for science in this case through film and audiovisual productions. Scientific cinema is a very powerful tool to disseminate and bring science and technology closer to the new generations".

In addition to scientific rigor, innovation and creativity, this competition seeks to promote other values such as passion for science, proactivity in change and commitment to nature and human beings.

For more information on the finalist titles in the different categories, please visit the Festival's website where the trailers of some of the festival's finalists will be attached.