Kratom Documentary Wins Czech Film Festival Award

Sběratelé kratomu, Czech for The Kratom Collectors, a Czech documentary exploring the controversial herbal substance kratom, has won the prestigious Audience Award at the Academia Film Olomouc (AFO) film festival.

Directed by Libor Cinegr, the film examines the dual nature of kratom—hailed as beneficial by some and criticized as harmful by others.

Cinegr, a graduate of Silesian University in Opava, expressed his excitement for the win, calling the festival a benchmark for scientific and artistic filmmaking. The documentary, which serves as his bachelor’s thesis, premiered in Olomouc, taking audiences on a journey through Indonesia, Prague, and Olomouc, where kratom is cultivated, processed, and debated.

The film, co-produced with Tomas Bata University and Zeroin, delves into kratom’s effects, its growing popularity, and the polarizing conversation surrounding its legal status in the Czech Republic. A screening event on January 17 featured a live music performance and a panel discussion with scientists, social workers, and addiction specialists, who debated the risks and benefits of kratom. Experts emphasized the importance of balanced public education on the substance.

With plans for festival screenings, television broadcasts, and potential school viewings, The Kratom Collectors continues to fuel conversation about the complex nature of kratom.

The evening concluded with a debate among kratom experts, who spoke about Czech Republic's new kratom regulations.

“We filmed the debate and will soon publish its edit,” states Libor Cinegr.

"The experts present - be they addictologists, chemists or social workers - consider public education to be one of the most important things. They agreed that our film could make a significant contribution to it," said Monika Horsáková, head of the Institute of Film, Television and Radio Production, who is the literary editor and production manager of the film.

Kratom's Unique Regulation in Czech Republic

Czech Republic faced a problem unheard of in the United States: minors were consuming kratom purchased from vending machines. Instead of outlawing kratom, Czech Republic's national drug policy coordinator Jindrich Zoboril pushed for parliament to implement policy that would regulate kratom as a "psychomodular substance".

The policy, passed in 2024, created a new category for lower-risk psychoactive substances that can be classified as neither dietary supplements nor pharmaceutical drugs. The proposed law also made it illegal to sell kratom and other psychomodular substances to minors and through vending machines.

Jindrich Voboril, the Czech National Drug Coordinator, played a pivotal role in shaping this legislation. Voboril, a leading expert on drug policy with over 20 years of experience, advocated for a regulatory approach rather than a complete ban. He engaged with political party representatives and government officials to discuss the regulation of these substances.

Voboril is featured in the documentary.