To the global community of fulldome producers, artists, and lovers: Get ready for the Best of Earth Awards in 2025! Following the success of the previous celebrations held in 2021 and 2023, we, the International Cooperation of Fulldome Festivals (ICoFF), are thrilled to announce there will be a new global event to present and award the finest fulldome content produced for Planetarium and immersive theatre venues.
What is it all about? The Best of Earth Awards serves as a platform to showcase the creative convergence of science, art, and entertainment in the highly dynamic, innovative, and rapidly evolving genre of fulldome immersive media. Our goal is to highlight the talent and hard work of those who use this medium to educate, entertain, and inspire audiences worldwide.
Aims of ICoFF
The mission of ICoFF extends beyond mere celebration. We strive to:
Support and benefit artists and producers of immersive media.
Inspire audiences worldwide with exceptional fulldome experiences.
Contribute to the growth and development of the fulldome industry.
Strengthen educational and business institutions through creative collaborations.
Foster the creative integration of science, art, and entertainment in both traditional and non-traditional forms.
Event Details and Award Categories
The next Best of Earth Awards, set for 2025, promises to be a standalone event, not attached to any existing festival. It will enjoy the support and promotion of all participating festivals and affiliate organizations. We will separately publish dates and technical submission guidelines for fulldome producers and artists.
In the 2025 contest, the Best of Earth Awards will celebrate fulldome productions in ten distinct categories:
Best Science and Education Film
Best Art & Experimental Film
Best Children's Film
Best Sonic Experience Film
Special Jury Selection Film
Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Emerging Artists‘ Film
Innovation Award
Best Live Performance*
*The Best Live Performance category is a new addition, celebrating the genre of live music, theatre, dance, mixed media, and other cross-genre shows that utilize the dome as a 360°live performance space.
Award Criteria and Selection Process
The procedure of deciding the winners of the awards is conducted by an independent jury, comprised of experts in the field, ensuring a fair and unbiased selection. To be considered for the prestigious Best of Earth award, it is mandatory for the candidate to receive a nomination from one or more partner festivals that recognize the merit of the work. Individual submissions outside the festival nominations are not possible.
Our Founding and Growth
ICoFF was established in the year 2021, as a collaborative effort by several internationally recognized organizations.
The founding members of this cooperation include Dome Fest West, which is based in Los Angeles, USA; FullDome Festival, which operates from Jena, Germany; Fulldome UK, which has its roots in London and Plymouth, UK; and the Dome Under Festival in Melbourne, Australia. This cooperation was formed with the aim of promoting and supporting the best practices in the field of Earth sciences and conservation, at the same time including art and experiment in the genre of immersive media.
The following year, in 2022, we were pleased to welcome a new member to our cooperation, the SAT Festival, which is based in Montreal, Canada. Our cooperation continues to grow and strengthen as we work together to achieve our common goals.
Past Celebrations & Looking Ahead
The Zeiss-Grossplanetarium in Berlin graciously hosted our award ceremonies in the years 2021 and 2023. These ceremonies were not just limited to the attendees within the grand walls of the planetarium but were also broadcast to an audience that spanned the globe, further extending the reach of our vision.
Additionally, in the year 2023, we were privileged to partner with IMERSA who hosted a special program that was singularly focused on the 'Best of Earth'. This program was a significant step towards our overarching goal of sharing our vision with the worldwide community, and it successfully brought our message to an even larger audience.
As we navigate towards the fast-approaching 2025 event, we stand firmly by our founding philosophy of mutual agreements and cordial commitments. Our organization holds a deep-seated belief in maintaining a streamlined approach, thus avoiding any unnecessary bureaucratic overhead. We are filled with anticipation as we look towards yet another spectacular celebration that will undoubtedly be a testament to the artistry and innovation within the fulldome community.
Stay tuned for more updates!
- The ICoFF Team