Visual anthropology is one of latest and most significant branches of anthropology consisting of analytical recording of certain anthropological phenomena using audio-visual technologies. Using a combination of artistic, film-documentary and photo-documentary as well as scientific, anthropological, ethnological and sociological approaches, the audio-visual anthropology contributes to making human experience, customs, habits and different behaviour patterns closer and more popular among the general public. In this way, visual anthropology represents one of the key pillars of a society based on knowledge and helps build values such as tolerance, i.e. the right to be different. This project is organised in cooperation with the School of Visual Anthropology which was launched in 2011 at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade, supported by many other institutions and organisations which try to make visual anthropology and visual arts in general more popular. Some of the films created at the School of Visual Anthropology won awards and took part in many European festivals of ethnocinema, film reviews and conferences (Belgrade, Ljubljana, Vienna, Moscow, Zadar, Skopje).
The goals of the project are:
- realisation of the first film School of Visual Anthropology in Osijek
- improving film competence among national and international artists, researchers and students of the arts and humanities
- filming and producing five short ethnographic films
- showing films at festivals and on online platforms
- making audio-visual anthropology popular in Croatia and the region
- creating and strengthening local and international relations among young artists and scientists
- creating a network of documentary creators, artists and visual anthropologists in Southeast Europe
- promotion of Osijek as a destination of artistic and scientific research