On Saturday, October 3, the jury of this year’s festival announced the winners of the Future Gate Sci-Fi Film Festival 2026 at Prague’s Lucerna Cinema. The festival’s main competition was won by the Japanese animated film Junk World, directed by Takahide Hori.
The jury also presented a Special Jury Mention, which went to the Australian comedy Yersteday Island. The award was accepted in person at Lucerna Cinema by the film’s director, Sam Voutas.
Both films are still on the festival programme in other cities. The jury members were Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker (Dune, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, Sicario), Czech actress Andrea Mohylová (Restore Point), and journalist Pavel Dobrovský (ABC and Level magazines).
Best Film: Junk World
(director Takahide Hori; Japan)
Created by a tiny team, this is an entire world unlike anything else in contemporary animation: brutal, grotesque, daringly provocative and astonishingly detailed. The jury commends its intricate, constantly surprising story, its subversive use of editing and repetition, and its boundless visual imagination. It proves that handmade puppet animation can still push the limits of what science fiction can put on screen. The jury awards the prize for Future Gate’s Best Film of 2026 to JUNK WORLD, directed by Takahide Hori.
Special jury mention: Yesterday Island
(director Sam Voutas; Australia)
The jury wishes to recognise the outstanding performances in this black comedy. Its actors move from loathing to cooperation and, finally, to forgiveness. With deft comic timing and genuine human depth, they turn a modestly resourced story into a sharp and witty look at human relationships. With their whole ensemble, they prove that a science-fiction film is also about its actors. The Future Gate Special Jury Mention goes to Yesterday Island, directed by Sam Voutas.
The jury also recognized the student films. The winner was Truth, Love, Lizards, directed by Pavel Plesník. Second place went to Laura Boráros for her film I’m Looking for Mr. Laser, while third place was awarded to The Kitchen, directed by Valére Futej.
The creators of the three winning films received a voucher for rental of filming equipment from Biofilms, the partner of the student competition.
1. place: Truth, Love, Lizards
(director Pavel Plesník; Akademie Michael)
Through convincing performances, assured cinematography and direction, and a skilfully constructed story, what begins as a date spirals into a showdown with cosmic conspiracy theorists – making for a witty, confidently told science-fiction comedy.
2. place: I’m Looking for Mr. Laser
(director Laura Boráros; FAMU)
This short stands out for its unusual animation technique and its search for something to hold on to, in a chaotic world of illusions.
3. place: The Kitchen
(director Valér Futej; FAMU)
This film’s striking visual style and carefully composed camerawork serve an uncompromising metaphor for corporate life, in which the individual becomes a replaceable cog in the machine.