Winner of Best Online Format – Reconnexion

Winner of Best Online Format – Reconnexion

Reconnexion will help you see the extraordinary in the ordinary.


As you look at an object, do you ever find your mind drifting away twisting, turning and reimagining what the object is and could do?

It’s those moments of imagination of the mundane that often are the sparks of inspiration for incredible ideas.

And those random flashes are explored in the web series Reconnexion, which looks at some not always obvious links between our everyday life and science.

For some a woolly jumper is a simple item of clothing but physicist Frédéric Lechenault (pictured above) saw a paradox. How can a string of wool which doesn’t stretch be formed into a jumper which can stretch and change shape? And from there, he pulled the thread. It turns out a jumper has similar properties to what happens when there is a seismic shift in the Earth’s crust, and suddenly they had a model to help understand earthquakes.

Stories like those that are the reason Reconnexion was awarded the SCINEMA 2020 Best Online Format.

Clever storytelling in Reconnexion’s short videos and a healthy dose of quirkiness and humour made the series stand out to the judges, which they say made them look at ordinary objects in a whole new light. Each video draws you in with a fresh take on interviews with scientific experts.

“The use of music, narrational pace and bright playful visuals were wonderful for engaging the viewer in what could otherwise be dry topics!

“I was fascinated about this example of complex systems and can imagine this being a great introduction to these concepts for anyone watching,” says SCINEMA judge Lee Constabble.

Reconnexion director, Dimitri Kourtchine. Credit: supplied

Created by Dimitri Kourtchine for French broadcaster Arte, the videos have a different approach than the usual TV series. With an online focus, they emphasise information, entertainment and engagement in a quick blast.

And who knows, maybe this film will inspire your very own great ideas from objects in your life.

You will be able to watch three episodes from the Reconnexion web series as part of SCINEMA 2020.

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For more details about the individual films, visit the Award Winners page.