At the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, 29-year-old Czech runner Emil Zátopek achieved the seemingly impossible, winning three gold medals in the 5,000-meter, 10,000-meter and (following an unexpected last-minute entry) marathon races: a hat-trick that remains unmatched. He’d already won two medals at the previous Olympics, and repeatedly broken his own speed records in assorted categories. Two years later, he broke the 29-minute barrier in the 10,000 meters.
Most of these achievements are dramatized, in suitably hearty and rousing form, in director David Ondříček’s polished, engaging biopic “Zátopek,” and certainly, it’s a life that could forgivably merit the most bombastically flattering sort of sports-drama treatment. Yet the emotional peaks in Ondříček’s film lie, unexpectedly, elsewhere. Ambitiously attempting both an interior character study as well as a broad historical overview, “Zátopek” appears to sincerely grasp the soul of a man for whom winning wasn’t everything, even if he always won.
Most of these achievements are dramatized, in suitably hearty and rousing form, in director David Ondříček’s polished, engaging biopic “Zátopek,” and certainly, it’s a life that could forgivably merit the most bombastically flattering sort of sports-drama treatment. Yet the emotional peaks in Ondříček’s film lie, unexpectedly, elsewhere. Ambitiously attempting both an interior character study as well as a broad historical overview, “Zátopek” appears to sincerely grasp the soul of a man for whom winning wasn’t everything, even if he always won.
- 8/25/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
David Ondricek’s epic account of Olympic gold medalist and multiple record holder Emil Zatopek, who attained legendary status in the darkest days of the Czechoslovak communist regime, makes for a powerful opening film at this year’s Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
The director of “Whisper” and “In the Shadow,” who co-wrote the biopic with Alice Nellis and Jan P. Muchow, says the ambitious shoot, with detailed period depictions of five Olympic competitions for the star runner and the role of his gold medalist wife Dana, took 14 years to materialize and presented the challenge of capturing the gut-wrenching conflicts of a champion’s life under a system that forced upon him the role of socialist success symbol.
What was it about the life of Zatopek that drove your ideas while developing this story and how did you feel you finally found a way to crack the story?
It’s nearly...
The director of “Whisper” and “In the Shadow,” who co-wrote the biopic with Alice Nellis and Jan P. Muchow, says the ambitious shoot, with detailed period depictions of five Olympic competitions for the star runner and the role of his gold medalist wife Dana, took 14 years to materialize and presented the challenge of capturing the gut-wrenching conflicts of a champion’s life under a system that forced upon him the role of socialist success symbol.
What was it about the life of Zatopek that drove your ideas while developing this story and how did you feel you finally found a way to crack the story?
It’s nearly...
- 8/21/2021
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Czech director David Ondříček will continue shooting the ambitious drama about legendary runner Emil Zátopek until mid-December. Czech producer-director David Ondříček has wrapped the second production phase on the period drama and biopic Zátopek, about Emil Zátopek, a Czech distance runner nicknamed the “Czech Locomotive” and the holder of several world records, who was singled out as Greatest Runner of All Time by the editors of Runner’s World magazine in 2013. Shooting will continue, with several breaks, until mid-December. Ondříček co-wrote the script with writer-director Alice Nellis and composer Jan P Muchow, and the movie is a reconstruction of Zátopek’s life, with Ondříček revealing that the story is more about politics than sport. The other main character besides the legendary runner himself is his wife, Olympic javelin thrower Dana Zátopková. Ondříček fully immersed himself in the life of Emil Zátopek when he prepared the documentary Zátopek in 2016. “It is.
- 10/18/2019
- Cineuropa - The Best of European Cinema
Madrid — Strengthening its activities in Eastern Europe as the region makes ever more ambitiously financed shows, Munich’s Beta Film has boarded crime thriller “The Pleasure Principle,” the first ever international TV production between three Eastern Europe countries.
Written by Maciej Maciejewski, a scribe on Tvp’s Polish crime TV series “The Cop,” “The Pleasure Principle” is produced by Apple Film Production – the company behind “”The Passing Bells,” made for BBC, Tvp, BBC America – and Arte, in co-production with Canal+ Poland, Czech TV and Star Media and in association with Beta Film.
Currently in post-production, the crime thriller will the subject of a panel discussion at the Series Mania Forum on Tuesday.
The ten-hour series is helmed and showrun by multi-awarded director Dariusz Jablonski (“Photographer”), a Polish documentary filmmaker and producer. It stars Malgorzata Buczkowska (“I Am You”) in the main role, alongside Karel Roden (“The Bourne Supremacy”), Stipe Erceg...
Written by Maciej Maciejewski, a scribe on Tvp’s Polish crime TV series “The Cop,” “The Pleasure Principle” is produced by Apple Film Production – the company behind “”The Passing Bells,” made for BBC, Tvp, BBC America – and Arte, in co-production with Canal+ Poland, Czech TV and Star Media and in association with Beta Film.
Currently in post-production, the crime thriller will the subject of a panel discussion at the Series Mania Forum on Tuesday.
The ten-hour series is helmed and showrun by multi-awarded director Dariusz Jablonski (“Photographer”), a Polish documentary filmmaker and producer. It stars Malgorzata Buczkowska (“I Am You”) in the main role, alongside Karel Roden (“The Bourne Supremacy”), Stipe Erceg...
- 3/19/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
As U.S. viewers discover among their VOD options HBO Europe’s original production series “Wasteland,” the thriller set in the bleak coal fields of north Bohemia and filmed in 2016 in the Czech Republic, the company says more shows are on their way.
The eight-part thriller, directed by Ivan Zacharias and Alice Nellis and scripted by Stepan Hulik, screened at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival before becoming one of the first European series produced by the premium cable company to reach U.S. audiences. It was followed more recently by Hungarian and Czech versions of the romantic comedy “When Shall We Kiss,” the latter starring Anna Geislerova.
“If we own the property, why would we not make it available to people?” posits Antony Root, HBO Europe’s head of original production.
While he confesses about the programming’s potential success across the Atlantic “I don’t know how it’s going to do,...
The eight-part thriller, directed by Ivan Zacharias and Alice Nellis and scripted by Stepan Hulik, screened at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival before becoming one of the first European series produced by the premium cable company to reach U.S. audiences. It was followed more recently by Hungarian and Czech versions of the romantic comedy “When Shall We Kiss,” the latter starring Anna Geislerova.
“If we own the property, why would we not make it available to people?” posits Antony Root, HBO Europe’s head of original production.
While he confesses about the programming’s potential success across the Atlantic “I don’t know how it’s going to do,...
- 6/28/2018
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Tiff audiences will get the chance to see the first three episodes of the new season of Jill Soloway’s acclaimed Emmy-winning Amazon Studios series Transparent.
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18 and the Tiff Industry Conference runs from September 9-15.
Primetime...
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18 and the Tiff Industry Conference runs from September 9-15.
Primetime...
- 8/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Tiff audiences will get the chance to see the first three episodes of the new season of Jill Soloway’s acclaimed Emmy-winning Amazon Studios series Transparent.
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18 and the Tiff Industry Conference runs from September 9-15.
Primetime...
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18 and the Tiff Industry Conference runs from September 9-15.
Primetime...
- 8/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Tiff audiences will get the chance to see the first three episodes of the new season of Jill Soloway’s acclaimed Emmy-winning Amazon Studios series Transparent.
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18.
Primetime
“This peak era for television has ushered in a gold...
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18.
Primetime
“This peak era for television has ushered in a gold...
- 8/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Audiences will get the chance to see the first three episodes of the new season of Jill Soloway’s acclaimed Emmy-winning Amazon Studios series Transparent.
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18.
Primetime
“This peak era for television has ushered in a gold...
The return for the second year of the Primetime television roster includes new episodes from Charlie Brooker’s unsettling anthology series Black Mirror, a look at Kenyan procedural Tuko Macho, mystery series Wasteland from the Czech Republic and the previously announced nirvanna the band the show from Canada.
Highlights at the seven-day Tiff Industry Conference are expected to include Mogul sessions with Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and The Weinstein Company president and COO David Glasser.
Doug Liman will give a Master Class address on Vr, while panel discussions will cover the potential impact of Brexit on the UK film industry, East-West alliances, gender, and conversations with Jonathan Demme and Steve James.
The 41st Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to 18.
Primetime
“This peak era for television has ushered in a gold...
- 8/18/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The Toronto International Film Festival's Primetime section is returning for a second year, showcasing episodes from five television shows from around the world. In addition to Tiff's impressive film roster, the festival will also premiere the first three episodes of the third season of Transparent as well as two new episodes of Black Mirror. Here's the full list of television premieres: Black Mirror created by Charlie Brooker, United Kingdom/South Africa, World Premiere directed by Owen Harris and Joe Wright The Festival presents two Black Mirror episodes: San Junipero and Nosedive. Transparent created by Jill Soloway, USA, World Premiere directed by Jill Soloway and Silas Howard The Festival presents Transparent season 3, episodes 1, 2 and 3. Tuko Macho created and directed by Jim Chuchu, Kenya The Festival presents two episodes of Tuko Macho. Wasteland (Pustina) created by Št?pán Hulík, Czech Republic, World Premiere directed by Ivan Zachariáš and Alice Nellis The Festival...
- 8/18/2016
- by Pilot Viruet
- Hitfix
The 18th annual Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival takes place 23-28 October 2014. From over 2,800 submissions, the programming committee has selected over 200 films from 42 countries, including 57 world, international or European premieres. These premieres include 10 Czech films in competition in the Czech Joy section.
Over the course of its existence, the Jihlava festival has become an indispensable Czech and worldwide documentary event, and an active contributor to the promotion and distribution of documentary films. The Jihlava festival is a co-founder and member of Doc Alliance, a prestigious union of seven important European documentary festivals.
Program – Year Eighteen
As in past years, the largest celebration of original documentary film in Central and Eastern Europe will present a diverse range of Czech and foreign films, with many world, international, European, and Czech premieres.
“This year’s festival is a true tribute to the artistic and independent film scene. This tribute will take place in the presence of such special guests as Kidlat Tahimik (which translates to “Quiet Lightning”), founder of independent Filipino cinema, whose films from the 1970s were declared by Werner Herzog to be among the most free to come out during that time, and noted Chinese director Wang Bing, winner of awards at festivals in Venice, Rotterdam, Yamagata and Marseilles,” said festival director Marek Hovorka.
The Face Of The Festival
The central motif of the 18th festival is a stark black-and-white symbol of a factory. It’s not only the dominant visual feature of the festival, but has also found its way into the films themselves. The poster was designed by artist, educator and publisher Juraj Horváth. This year’s festival trailer was created by the legend of Czech and world cinematography Jan Němec. This was his very first experience with this format; the intensity of the final form, however, can be felt in his short statement on the trailer’s filming:
“There are no ‘small’ or ‘big’ films. Twenty seconds expresses concern about the possible demise of film. I sound the alarm myself and the shadow of my hand is my signature.”
1. Organization And Awards
The festival is organized by the Jsaf civic association. In 2013, the festival issued more than 2,900 festival passes. Of these, 782 were for film professionals and festival guests from the Czech Republic and abroad, and 156 were for journalists. The festival screenings were attended by a total of more than 30,000 viewers.
The following awards will be presented as part of the 2014 Jihlava Idff:
· 2014 Best International Documentary Film Award (Opus Bonum competition)
· 2014 Best Central and Eastern European Documentary Film Award (Between the Seas competition)
· 2014 Best Czech Documentary Film Award (Czech Joy competition)
· 2014 Best Experimental Documentary Film Award (Fascinations competition)
· 2014 Best Debut Film Award (First Lights competition)
· 2014 Best Short Film Award (Short Joy competition)
· 2014 Contribution to World Cinematography
2014 Spectators Prize 2014 Respekt Award for the best television or video reportage · Silver Eye Award in the categories of short, mid-length, and feature documentary
(part of the East Silver market organized by the Institute of Documentary Film)
· 2014 Award for the Most Beautiful Festival Poster
· 2014 Audience Award for the Most Beautiful Festival Poster
2. New At The 18th Jihlava Idff
This year’s festival brings two new competitions: the former non-competition section Short Joy, focusing on short films, has received competition status, and in the new competition First Lights, the jury will choose the best debut film from the Opus Bonum, Between the Seas and Czech Joy sections. And of course there’s our annual retrospective of distinctive personalities and unique thematic sections.
The Complete Letters
This unique project is the brainchild of the Centre for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona, in which five pairs of world-renowned directors exchanged audio-visual “letters”. These letters will be presented at Jihlava in their Eastern European premiere. Filmmakers such as meditative artist Naomi Kawase, legend of the New York avant-garde Jonas Mekas, “lone wolf” Albert Serra and critical chronicler of contemporary China Wang Bing invite viewers into their private lives and into the secrets of their artistic poetics.
“It’s remarkable to see how much each letter reflects the personal style of each of the directors. Never have two directors with such radically different styles come together like this,” commented festival programmer David Čeněk.
Forgotten Filmmaker JIŘÍ PolÁK
This photographer, director and sensitive individual who escaped to the “place where dreams are made real” – the island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf prior to the August occupation of Czechoslovakia – is one of the forgotten figures of Czech cinema. Jiří Polák was able to film Hospital in Kuks, but did not enjoy any domestic recognition. After his emigration and short stays in Vienna and Switzerland, he accepted film assignments in Iran.
Tribute: Alain Resnais
“Renowned French director passed away on 1 March 2014 at the age of 91. In memory of his work, we have prepared two screenings of his lesser-known or completely unknown films. He himself was instrumental to an unprecedented extent to the development of documentary filmmaking in France, and showed its new stylistic possibilities,” says festival programmer David Čeněk about this unique presentation of Resnais’ (mainly) early work. Alain Resnais The majority of Resnais’ works being presented at this year’s Jihlava Idff have been shown only a few times in France, and are being screened in the Czech Republic for the first time ever.
Retrospective: Kidlat Tahimik
A special guest at this year’s Jihlava festival will be the “father of Filipino independent film” – director, actor, screenwriter and producer Kidlat Tahimik, the founder of the so-called Filipino New Wave and an influential commentator on post-colonialism and power imbalances throughout the world, praised in the West by Werner Herzog when he said that [Tahimik’s] films from the 1970s are among some of the most free works on film of their time.
3. Jurors
The jury for the competition section Opus Bonum traditionally consists of just one person – a notable personality from world cinema. This year, this honour has been bestowed on a significant figure from the Yugoslav Black Wave – Želimir Žilnik.
The best film in the Between the Seas section will be chosen by:
· French film theoretician Raymond Bellour
· Spanish director Albert Serra
American artist Deborah Stratman Artist Kateřina Šedá Czech Joy Jury:
Poet Petr Hruška Former director of Czech Television Ivo Mathé Film historian Tereza Czesany Dvořáková Documentary filmmaker Bohdan Bláhovec The winner of the experimental competition Fascination will be determined by the Austrian master of found footage Peter Tscherkassky and his wife, filmmaker Eve Heller.
The historic first judging of the Short Joy section will be conducted by members of the art group Rafani.
4. Competition Sections
Czech Joy
Competition for the Best Czech Documentary Film 2014.
A prestigious selection of new Czech documentaries, including 10 world premieres. Films include Daniel’s World (Veronika Lišková), a look at the last taboo of modern society – paedophilia. The delightful film Long Live Hunting! (Jaroslav Kratochvíl) takes aim at Czech hunting. Shadows of the past are revealed in the film Pavel Wonka Commits to Cooperate ( Libuše Rudinská), which examines whether the last Communist prisoner was a dissident and symbol of the revolution – or an StB collaborator. The section also includes a pair of family portraits: Family Business / from Videodiary (Jakub Wagner), and Marislav Janek’s eagerly awaited new film The Gospel According to Brabenec, about Vratislav Brabenec of the Plastic People of the Universe.
World Premieres · Daniel’s World, Veronika Lišková, Czech Republic 2014, 75 min
· The Gospel According to Brabenec , Miroslav Janek, Czech Republic 2014, 85 min
· Long Live Hunting! , Jaroslav Kratochvíl, Czech Republic 2014, 62 min
· Pavel Wonka Commits to Cooperate , Libuše Rudínská, Czech Republic 2014, 73 min
· The Plan , Benjamin Tuček, Czech Republic 2014, 91 min
· The Czech Way , Martin Kohout, Czech Republic 2014, 90 min
· Family Business / from Videodiary , Jakub Wagner, Czech Republic 2014, 60 min
· František of His Own Kind , Jan Gogola Jr., Czech Republic 2014, 26 min
· Lets Block , Martina Malinová, Czech Republic 2014, 47 min
My Farm Is My Castle , Jiří Stejskal, Czech Republic 2014, 87 min
Opus Bonum
Competition for the 2014 Best World Documentary Film
Opus Bonum selects the best noteworthy documentaries representing diverse trends from around the world. Sixteen films are in the Opus Bonum competition for best world documentary film, including 5 world premieres, 5 international premieres and 1 European premiere. Films in this section include Rock On Bones, a personal view of the Russian independent music scene, and the film-poem Fovea Centralis, which skirts the fringe of video art, composed of multiplied images from the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s closed-circuit cameras.20 Cents shows what happens when public transportation fares in São Paulo are increased and the carnival atmosphere is replaced by one of guerrilla warfare.
World Premieres · Aged , Philip Hoffman, Canada 2014, 45 min
· Rock on Bones , Caroline Troubetzkoy, France 2014, 145 min
· I Am the People , Anna Roussillon, France 2014, 110 min
· In Your Eyes , Pietro Albino Di Pasquale, Italy 2014, 78 min
Fovea Centralis , Philippe Rouy, France 2014, 50 min International Premieres · Chasing After The Wind , Juan Camilo Olmos Feris, Colombia 2014, 60 min
· Water to Tabato , Paulo Carneiro, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal 2014, 45 min
· 20 Cents , Tiago Tambelli, Brazil 2014, 52 min
· Buenos Aires Free Party , Homero Cirelli, Argentina 2014, 74 min
The Shelter , Fernand Melgar, Switzerland 2014, 101 min European Premiere The Beijing Ants , Ryuji Otsuka, China 2014, 88 min
Between The Seas
Competition for the 2014 Best Documentary Film from Central and Eastern Europe.
Between the Seas is a competition section for the countries and nations of Central and Eastern Europe. Between the Seas presents 17 films, of which 4 are world premieres, 2 are international premieres, and 2 are European premieres. The Serbian Lawyer is one of the films seeing its world premiere at Jihlava – a film about the man who defended Slobodan Milošević and Radovan Karadžić, criminals from whom he had fled during the old regime. Another premiere in this section is Zuzana Piussi’s Transference , which sketches a dark picture of the state social care system for threatened children in Slovakia after the death of an abused child. Also in competition is the latest film by unsparing Austrian analyst Ulrich Seidl. In the Basement reveals that the basement is a rather important place for many Austrians, where you’ll find the usual hunting trophies and unusual bars, but also town council members and their swastikas, sadomasochism and other “hobbies”.
World Premieres · Transference , Zuzana Piussi, Slovakia/Czech Republic 2014, 57 min
· The Serbian Lawyer , Aleksandar Nikolić, Germany/Great Britain/Serbia 2014, 82 min
· Pill Junkies , Bartosz Staszewski, Poland 2014, 76 min
Ocean , Tamara Drakulić, Serbia 2014, 77 min International Premieres · 6 Degrees , Bartosz Dombrowski, Poland 2013, 81 min
A Last Year in 114 Minutes , Daniel Nicolae Djamo, Romania 2014, 114 min European Premieres Euromaidan: Rough Cut , Roman Bondarchuk et al., Ukraine 2014, 60 min Don’t Breathe, Nino Kirtadzé, France 2014, 86 min
Fascinations
Competition for the 2014 Best Experimental Documentary Film.
Fascinations is a competition screening of experimental films that offer us unique approaches to the depiction of reality. The section will present 33 films, including 7 world premieres, 6 international premieres, and 4 European premieres.
Premiere films include:
An animated work based on Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philisophicus (Active Image O directed by Becky James); the unguided choreography of white points in black space (Fascinating Moments by Yoshiki Nishimura); a memorial to one’s father using old photographs and chemical manipulation of the film itself using salt and seaweed (Dark Matter by Karel Doing); and a journey through a digitally manipulated landscape (L by Jacques Perconte).
World Premieres
· Active Image O , Becky James, USA 2014, 8 min
· Dark Matter , Karel Doing, Netherlands/Great Britain 2014, 20 min
· Fascinating Moments , Yoshiki Nishimura, Japan 2014, 4 min
· L , Jacques Perconte, France 2014, 15 min
· Our Hands Are Empty , Sj Ramir, Australia/New Zealand 2014, 10 min
· Jupiter Lolopop , Charlotte Dunker, Belgium 2014, 5 min
Study of Synchromy , Patrick Bergeron, Canada 2014, 3 min International Premieres
· Cut Out , Guli Silberstein, Great Britain 2014, 4 min
· The Civilization Desire , Carolina Astudillo, Spain 2014, 7 min
· A.D.A.M. , Vladislav Knežević, Croatia 2014, 13 min
· Digital Landscaping , Sangsok Ko, South Korea 2013, 4 min
· Field , Yi Myun, South Korea 2014, 6 min
Salers , Fernando Dominguez, Argentina/France 2014, 9 min European Premieres
· Beep , Kyungman Kim, South Korea 2014, 10 min
· Callisto , Youjin Moon, USA 2014, 14 min
· Droga! , Miko Revereza, Philippines 2013, 7 min
Frame Walk , Hayoung Jeon, South Korea 2014, 6 min Short Joy
Competition for the Best Short Film 2014 .
This year, this originally non-competition section devoted to short films has been transformed into a new competition section. The fifteen competition entries include films from all over the world, dealing with a wide spectrum of topics, and representing many current trends in contemporary documentary filmmaking. The Czech entry, Arguments by Andran Abramjan (who received an honourable mention in last year’s Czech Joy competition), considers the possibilities of dialogue on the Ukrainian crisis from both the eastern and western points of view. The purely observational film The Limits of Europe, underscored by the noise and sounds of protests, explores the spontaneous architecture of seven Kiev barricades erected in the streets leading to Independence Square. The contemplative and imaginatively filmed The Length enters the world of jazz legend Ted Curson.
First Lights
Competition for the Best Debut of 2014
Further evidence of Jihlava’s mission to support the film industry and share in the discovery of new talents is the presentation of a new competition section that rewards the best first work. Debut films presented as part of the traditional competition sections Opus Bonum, Czech Joy and Between the Seas have the opportunity to “battle it out” in a space that is not limited by territory. Comparing Czech and other Eastern European documentaries with their competition from the rest of the world can be a valuable experience, an opportunity to see commonalities and differences. It can also provide mutual inspiration not only for the films’ creators, but also for producers and other film professionals.
5. Non-competition Sections
Exprmntl.Cz
Experimental films from the Czech lands
This section is a non-competition survey of contemporary trends in Czech experimental film. Screenings will include films by renowned artists as well as filmmakers who just starting out.The unsettling video art of Zbyňek Baladrán, who focuses primarily on “archaeological” work with found material, can be seen in Dead Reckoning, showing the sterility of modern man’s life in four sequences featuring statistics, psychoanalysis, income and paranoia in the leading roles. Alice Růžičková’s film Autonomous Calábek takes a look into the plant kingdom. Made from a montage of scientific and film experiments, her portrait of a pioneer in plant physiology takes on surrealistic qualities.
Special Event
New world and Czech films, pre-premieres and festival hits
Alice Nellis presents Adoption: A Piece of Fortune, a kaleidoscope of stories with the same ending – a longed-for child. This opening film of the Jihlava Idff is a documentary exploration of a complex topic. In contrast, American master Errol Morris’ film The Unknown Known is a chilling look at former Us Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld. The Last of the Unjust by Claude Lanzmann captures the testimony of Benjamin Murmelstein, the “puppet king” appointed at the end of the Nazi era to the position of the last “Ältester” of the Judenrat at a model Jewish ghetto. Also worth mentioning is Regarding Susan Sontag, director Nancy Kates’s portrait of one the most important intellectuals of the 20th century.
Doc-fi
Documentary and fiction are not opposites
Doc-fi expresses the conviction that the boundary between documentary and fiction is permeable. This year, three unusual films will be screened. Requiem for Beauty by Chinese author and Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian examines the space between film, poetry and painting. His multi-language monologues touch on themes that people do not speak about much anymore. In Beyond Icebergland, a man, a woman and a child occupy an invisible common film space, but not the same reality. It’s an ephemeral chronicle of a frozen time and a collage of images from a disappearing world, a film on the frontier of documentary, mystification and delightful genre games. Czech filmmaker Ondřej Vavrečka’s Among Us is an experimentally tinged love story that takes place during the time when the country was coming to grips with the death of Václav Havel.
6. Doc Alliance
Doc Alliance is the result of a creative partnership of seven key European documentary film festivals: Cph:dox Copenhagen, Doclisboa, Dok Leipzig, Fid Marseille, Jihlava Idff, Planete Doc Film Festival and Visions du Réel Nyon.
The aim of Doc Alliance is to help documentary films reach as many viewers as possible, and to systematically support their distribution through their festival markets and through the alliance’s online platform www.DAFilms.com.
Over the course of its existence, the Jihlava festival has become an indispensable Czech and worldwide documentary event, and an active contributor to the promotion and distribution of documentary films. The Jihlava festival is a co-founder and member of Doc Alliance, a prestigious union of seven important European documentary festivals.
Program – Year Eighteen
As in past years, the largest celebration of original documentary film in Central and Eastern Europe will present a diverse range of Czech and foreign films, with many world, international, European, and Czech premieres.
“This year’s festival is a true tribute to the artistic and independent film scene. This tribute will take place in the presence of such special guests as Kidlat Tahimik (which translates to “Quiet Lightning”), founder of independent Filipino cinema, whose films from the 1970s were declared by Werner Herzog to be among the most free to come out during that time, and noted Chinese director Wang Bing, winner of awards at festivals in Venice, Rotterdam, Yamagata and Marseilles,” said festival director Marek Hovorka.
The Face Of The Festival
The central motif of the 18th festival is a stark black-and-white symbol of a factory. It’s not only the dominant visual feature of the festival, but has also found its way into the films themselves. The poster was designed by artist, educator and publisher Juraj Horváth. This year’s festival trailer was created by the legend of Czech and world cinematography Jan Němec. This was his very first experience with this format; the intensity of the final form, however, can be felt in his short statement on the trailer’s filming:
“There are no ‘small’ or ‘big’ films. Twenty seconds expresses concern about the possible demise of film. I sound the alarm myself and the shadow of my hand is my signature.”
1. Organization And Awards
The festival is organized by the Jsaf civic association. In 2013, the festival issued more than 2,900 festival passes. Of these, 782 were for film professionals and festival guests from the Czech Republic and abroad, and 156 were for journalists. The festival screenings were attended by a total of more than 30,000 viewers.
The following awards will be presented as part of the 2014 Jihlava Idff:
· 2014 Best International Documentary Film Award (Opus Bonum competition)
· 2014 Best Central and Eastern European Documentary Film Award (Between the Seas competition)
· 2014 Best Czech Documentary Film Award (Czech Joy competition)
· 2014 Best Experimental Documentary Film Award (Fascinations competition)
· 2014 Best Debut Film Award (First Lights competition)
· 2014 Best Short Film Award (Short Joy competition)
· 2014 Contribution to World Cinematography
2014 Spectators Prize 2014 Respekt Award for the best television or video reportage · Silver Eye Award in the categories of short, mid-length, and feature documentary
(part of the East Silver market organized by the Institute of Documentary Film)
· 2014 Award for the Most Beautiful Festival Poster
· 2014 Audience Award for the Most Beautiful Festival Poster
2. New At The 18th Jihlava Idff
This year’s festival brings two new competitions: the former non-competition section Short Joy, focusing on short films, has received competition status, and in the new competition First Lights, the jury will choose the best debut film from the Opus Bonum, Between the Seas and Czech Joy sections. And of course there’s our annual retrospective of distinctive personalities and unique thematic sections.
The Complete Letters
This unique project is the brainchild of the Centre for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona, in which five pairs of world-renowned directors exchanged audio-visual “letters”. These letters will be presented at Jihlava in their Eastern European premiere. Filmmakers such as meditative artist Naomi Kawase, legend of the New York avant-garde Jonas Mekas, “lone wolf” Albert Serra and critical chronicler of contemporary China Wang Bing invite viewers into their private lives and into the secrets of their artistic poetics.
“It’s remarkable to see how much each letter reflects the personal style of each of the directors. Never have two directors with such radically different styles come together like this,” commented festival programmer David Čeněk.
Forgotten Filmmaker JIŘÍ PolÁK
This photographer, director and sensitive individual who escaped to the “place where dreams are made real” – the island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf prior to the August occupation of Czechoslovakia – is one of the forgotten figures of Czech cinema. Jiří Polák was able to film Hospital in Kuks, but did not enjoy any domestic recognition. After his emigration and short stays in Vienna and Switzerland, he accepted film assignments in Iran.
Tribute: Alain Resnais
“Renowned French director passed away on 1 March 2014 at the age of 91. In memory of his work, we have prepared two screenings of his lesser-known or completely unknown films. He himself was instrumental to an unprecedented extent to the development of documentary filmmaking in France, and showed its new stylistic possibilities,” says festival programmer David Čeněk about this unique presentation of Resnais’ (mainly) early work. Alain Resnais The majority of Resnais’ works being presented at this year’s Jihlava Idff have been shown only a few times in France, and are being screened in the Czech Republic for the first time ever.
Retrospective: Kidlat Tahimik
A special guest at this year’s Jihlava festival will be the “father of Filipino independent film” – director, actor, screenwriter and producer Kidlat Tahimik, the founder of the so-called Filipino New Wave and an influential commentator on post-colonialism and power imbalances throughout the world, praised in the West by Werner Herzog when he said that [Tahimik’s] films from the 1970s are among some of the most free works on film of their time.
3. Jurors
The jury for the competition section Opus Bonum traditionally consists of just one person – a notable personality from world cinema. This year, this honour has been bestowed on a significant figure from the Yugoslav Black Wave – Želimir Žilnik.
The best film in the Between the Seas section will be chosen by:
· French film theoretician Raymond Bellour
· Spanish director Albert Serra
American artist Deborah Stratman Artist Kateřina Šedá Czech Joy Jury:
Poet Petr Hruška Former director of Czech Television Ivo Mathé Film historian Tereza Czesany Dvořáková Documentary filmmaker Bohdan Bláhovec The winner of the experimental competition Fascination will be determined by the Austrian master of found footage Peter Tscherkassky and his wife, filmmaker Eve Heller.
The historic first judging of the Short Joy section will be conducted by members of the art group Rafani.
4. Competition Sections
Czech Joy
Competition for the Best Czech Documentary Film 2014.
A prestigious selection of new Czech documentaries, including 10 world premieres. Films include Daniel’s World (Veronika Lišková), a look at the last taboo of modern society – paedophilia. The delightful film Long Live Hunting! (Jaroslav Kratochvíl) takes aim at Czech hunting. Shadows of the past are revealed in the film Pavel Wonka Commits to Cooperate ( Libuše Rudinská), which examines whether the last Communist prisoner was a dissident and symbol of the revolution – or an StB collaborator. The section also includes a pair of family portraits: Family Business / from Videodiary (Jakub Wagner), and Marislav Janek’s eagerly awaited new film The Gospel According to Brabenec, about Vratislav Brabenec of the Plastic People of the Universe.
World Premieres · Daniel’s World, Veronika Lišková, Czech Republic 2014, 75 min
· The Gospel According to Brabenec , Miroslav Janek, Czech Republic 2014, 85 min
· Long Live Hunting! , Jaroslav Kratochvíl, Czech Republic 2014, 62 min
· Pavel Wonka Commits to Cooperate , Libuše Rudínská, Czech Republic 2014, 73 min
· The Plan , Benjamin Tuček, Czech Republic 2014, 91 min
· The Czech Way , Martin Kohout, Czech Republic 2014, 90 min
· Family Business / from Videodiary , Jakub Wagner, Czech Republic 2014, 60 min
· František of His Own Kind , Jan Gogola Jr., Czech Republic 2014, 26 min
· Lets Block , Martina Malinová, Czech Republic 2014, 47 min
My Farm Is My Castle , Jiří Stejskal, Czech Republic 2014, 87 min
Opus Bonum
Competition for the 2014 Best World Documentary Film
Opus Bonum selects the best noteworthy documentaries representing diverse trends from around the world. Sixteen films are in the Opus Bonum competition for best world documentary film, including 5 world premieres, 5 international premieres and 1 European premiere. Films in this section include Rock On Bones, a personal view of the Russian independent music scene, and the film-poem Fovea Centralis, which skirts the fringe of video art, composed of multiplied images from the Fukushima nuclear power plant’s closed-circuit cameras.20 Cents shows what happens when public transportation fares in São Paulo are increased and the carnival atmosphere is replaced by one of guerrilla warfare.
World Premieres · Aged , Philip Hoffman, Canada 2014, 45 min
· Rock on Bones , Caroline Troubetzkoy, France 2014, 145 min
· I Am the People , Anna Roussillon, France 2014, 110 min
· In Your Eyes , Pietro Albino Di Pasquale, Italy 2014, 78 min
Fovea Centralis , Philippe Rouy, France 2014, 50 min International Premieres · Chasing After The Wind , Juan Camilo Olmos Feris, Colombia 2014, 60 min
· Water to Tabato , Paulo Carneiro, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal 2014, 45 min
· 20 Cents , Tiago Tambelli, Brazil 2014, 52 min
· Buenos Aires Free Party , Homero Cirelli, Argentina 2014, 74 min
The Shelter , Fernand Melgar, Switzerland 2014, 101 min European Premiere The Beijing Ants , Ryuji Otsuka, China 2014, 88 min
Between The Seas
Competition for the 2014 Best Documentary Film from Central and Eastern Europe.
Between the Seas is a competition section for the countries and nations of Central and Eastern Europe. Between the Seas presents 17 films, of which 4 are world premieres, 2 are international premieres, and 2 are European premieres. The Serbian Lawyer is one of the films seeing its world premiere at Jihlava – a film about the man who defended Slobodan Milošević and Radovan Karadžić, criminals from whom he had fled during the old regime. Another premiere in this section is Zuzana Piussi’s Transference , which sketches a dark picture of the state social care system for threatened children in Slovakia after the death of an abused child. Also in competition is the latest film by unsparing Austrian analyst Ulrich Seidl. In the Basement reveals that the basement is a rather important place for many Austrians, where you’ll find the usual hunting trophies and unusual bars, but also town council members and their swastikas, sadomasochism and other “hobbies”.
World Premieres · Transference , Zuzana Piussi, Slovakia/Czech Republic 2014, 57 min
· The Serbian Lawyer , Aleksandar Nikolić, Germany/Great Britain/Serbia 2014, 82 min
· Pill Junkies , Bartosz Staszewski, Poland 2014, 76 min
Ocean , Tamara Drakulić, Serbia 2014, 77 min International Premieres · 6 Degrees , Bartosz Dombrowski, Poland 2013, 81 min
A Last Year in 114 Minutes , Daniel Nicolae Djamo, Romania 2014, 114 min European Premieres Euromaidan: Rough Cut , Roman Bondarchuk et al., Ukraine 2014, 60 min Don’t Breathe, Nino Kirtadzé, France 2014, 86 min
Fascinations
Competition for the 2014 Best Experimental Documentary Film.
Fascinations is a competition screening of experimental films that offer us unique approaches to the depiction of reality. The section will present 33 films, including 7 world premieres, 6 international premieres, and 4 European premieres.
Premiere films include:
An animated work based on Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philisophicus (Active Image O directed by Becky James); the unguided choreography of white points in black space (Fascinating Moments by Yoshiki Nishimura); a memorial to one’s father using old photographs and chemical manipulation of the film itself using salt and seaweed (Dark Matter by Karel Doing); and a journey through a digitally manipulated landscape (L by Jacques Perconte).
World Premieres
· Active Image O , Becky James, USA 2014, 8 min
· Dark Matter , Karel Doing, Netherlands/Great Britain 2014, 20 min
· Fascinating Moments , Yoshiki Nishimura, Japan 2014, 4 min
· L , Jacques Perconte, France 2014, 15 min
· Our Hands Are Empty , Sj Ramir, Australia/New Zealand 2014, 10 min
· Jupiter Lolopop , Charlotte Dunker, Belgium 2014, 5 min
Study of Synchromy , Patrick Bergeron, Canada 2014, 3 min International Premieres
· Cut Out , Guli Silberstein, Great Britain 2014, 4 min
· The Civilization Desire , Carolina Astudillo, Spain 2014, 7 min
· A.D.A.M. , Vladislav Knežević, Croatia 2014, 13 min
· Digital Landscaping , Sangsok Ko, South Korea 2013, 4 min
· Field , Yi Myun, South Korea 2014, 6 min
Salers , Fernando Dominguez, Argentina/France 2014, 9 min European Premieres
· Beep , Kyungman Kim, South Korea 2014, 10 min
· Callisto , Youjin Moon, USA 2014, 14 min
· Droga! , Miko Revereza, Philippines 2013, 7 min
Frame Walk , Hayoung Jeon, South Korea 2014, 6 min Short Joy
Competition for the Best Short Film 2014 .
This year, this originally non-competition section devoted to short films has been transformed into a new competition section. The fifteen competition entries include films from all over the world, dealing with a wide spectrum of topics, and representing many current trends in contemporary documentary filmmaking. The Czech entry, Arguments by Andran Abramjan (who received an honourable mention in last year’s Czech Joy competition), considers the possibilities of dialogue on the Ukrainian crisis from both the eastern and western points of view. The purely observational film The Limits of Europe, underscored by the noise and sounds of protests, explores the spontaneous architecture of seven Kiev barricades erected in the streets leading to Independence Square. The contemplative and imaginatively filmed The Length enters the world of jazz legend Ted Curson.
First Lights
Competition for the Best Debut of 2014
Further evidence of Jihlava’s mission to support the film industry and share in the discovery of new talents is the presentation of a new competition section that rewards the best first work. Debut films presented as part of the traditional competition sections Opus Bonum, Czech Joy and Between the Seas have the opportunity to “battle it out” in a space that is not limited by territory. Comparing Czech and other Eastern European documentaries with their competition from the rest of the world can be a valuable experience, an opportunity to see commonalities and differences. It can also provide mutual inspiration not only for the films’ creators, but also for producers and other film professionals.
5. Non-competition Sections
Exprmntl.Cz
Experimental films from the Czech lands
This section is a non-competition survey of contemporary trends in Czech experimental film. Screenings will include films by renowned artists as well as filmmakers who just starting out.The unsettling video art of Zbyňek Baladrán, who focuses primarily on “archaeological” work with found material, can be seen in Dead Reckoning, showing the sterility of modern man’s life in four sequences featuring statistics, psychoanalysis, income and paranoia in the leading roles. Alice Růžičková’s film Autonomous Calábek takes a look into the plant kingdom. Made from a montage of scientific and film experiments, her portrait of a pioneer in plant physiology takes on surrealistic qualities.
Special Event
New world and Czech films, pre-premieres and festival hits
Alice Nellis presents Adoption: A Piece of Fortune, a kaleidoscope of stories with the same ending – a longed-for child. This opening film of the Jihlava Idff is a documentary exploration of a complex topic. In contrast, American master Errol Morris’ film The Unknown Known is a chilling look at former Us Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld. The Last of the Unjust by Claude Lanzmann captures the testimony of Benjamin Murmelstein, the “puppet king” appointed at the end of the Nazi era to the position of the last “Ältester” of the Judenrat at a model Jewish ghetto. Also worth mentioning is Regarding Susan Sontag, director Nancy Kates’s portrait of one the most important intellectuals of the 20th century.
Doc-fi
Documentary and fiction are not opposites
Doc-fi expresses the conviction that the boundary between documentary and fiction is permeable. This year, three unusual films will be screened. Requiem for Beauty by Chinese author and Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian examines the space between film, poetry and painting. His multi-language monologues touch on themes that people do not speak about much anymore. In Beyond Icebergland, a man, a woman and a child occupy an invisible common film space, but not the same reality. It’s an ephemeral chronicle of a frozen time and a collage of images from a disappearing world, a film on the frontier of documentary, mystification and delightful genre games. Czech filmmaker Ondřej Vavrečka’s Among Us is an experimentally tinged love story that takes place during the time when the country was coming to grips with the death of Václav Havel.
6. Doc Alliance
Doc Alliance is the result of a creative partnership of seven key European documentary film festivals: Cph:dox Copenhagen, Doclisboa, Dok Leipzig, Fid Marseille, Jihlava Idff, Planete Doc Film Festival and Visions du Réel Nyon.
The aim of Doc Alliance is to help documentary films reach as many viewers as possible, and to systematically support their distribution through their festival markets and through the alliance’s online platform www.DAFilms.com.
- 10/28/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The world premiere of Czech fiction film-maker Alice Nellis’ documentary Auditioning For Parenthood will open the 18th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival tonight (Oct 23).
The programme of more than 200 films from 42 countries includes world premieres of such titles as Martin Kohout’s The Czech Way, Jaroslav Kratochvil’s Long Live Hunting!, and Veronika Liškova’s story of paedophilia in Daniel’s World.
Other world premieres include French film-maker Caroline Troubetzkoy’s personal view of the Russian independent music scene Rock On Bones, Bartosz Staszewski’s Pill Junkies, Aleksandar Nikolić’s German-uk-Serbian co-production The Serbian Lawyer, and Anna Roussillon’s I Am The People.
Jihlava will have international premieres of Brazilian director Tiago Tambelli’s 20 Cents, Romanian Daniel Nicolae Djamo’s A Last Year in 114 Minutes, Swiss film-maker Fernand Melgar’s The Shelter (which premiered in Locarno and will travel on to Dok Leipzig next week), and Colombian Juan Camilo Olmos Feris’ Chasing After The Wind.
Ukrainian film-maker...
The programme of more than 200 films from 42 countries includes world premieres of such titles as Martin Kohout’s The Czech Way, Jaroslav Kratochvil’s Long Live Hunting!, and Veronika Liškova’s story of paedophilia in Daniel’s World.
Other world premieres include French film-maker Caroline Troubetzkoy’s personal view of the Russian independent music scene Rock On Bones, Bartosz Staszewski’s Pill Junkies, Aleksandar Nikolić’s German-uk-Serbian co-production The Serbian Lawyer, and Anna Roussillon’s I Am The People.
Jihlava will have international premieres of Brazilian director Tiago Tambelli’s 20 Cents, Romanian Daniel Nicolae Djamo’s A Last Year in 114 Minutes, Swiss film-maker Fernand Melgar’s The Shelter (which premiered in Locarno and will travel on to Dok Leipzig next week), and Colombian Juan Camilo Olmos Feris’ Chasing After The Wind.
Ukrainian film-maker...
- 10/23/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Retrospective to include films from Danis Tanovic, Cristi Puiu, Mira Fornay and more.
A total of 50 films are to make up the retrospective Eastern Promises: Autobiography of Eastern Europe at the 62nd San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 19-27).
The line-up includes movies produced since 2000 in the countries that lived under Soviet influence after the Second World War and include some that were never released theatrically in Spain.
Several directors of films in the retrospective will attend the festival to present their works including Sarunas Bartas (Lithuania), Kristina Buožytė (Lithuania), Marian Crisan (Romania), Mira Fornay (Slovakia), Bohdan Sláma (Czech Republic), Malgorzata Szumowska (Poland) and Anna Viduleja (Latvia).
A book will be published to accompany the retrospective with contributions from journalists and critics across Europe.
The titles are:
Kruh In Mleko / Bread And Milk
Jan Cvitkovic (Slovenia) 2001
A modern classic of Slovenian cinema, the tale of a man who went out for bread and milk and lost himself to alcohol...
A total of 50 films are to make up the retrospective Eastern Promises: Autobiography of Eastern Europe at the 62nd San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 19-27).
The line-up includes movies produced since 2000 in the countries that lived under Soviet influence after the Second World War and include some that were never released theatrically in Spain.
Several directors of films in the retrospective will attend the festival to present their works including Sarunas Bartas (Lithuania), Kristina Buožytė (Lithuania), Marian Crisan (Romania), Mira Fornay (Slovakia), Bohdan Sláma (Czech Republic), Malgorzata Szumowska (Poland) and Anna Viduleja (Latvia).
A book will be published to accompany the retrospective with contributions from journalists and critics across Europe.
The titles are:
Kruh In Mleko / Bread And Milk
Jan Cvitkovic (Slovenia) 2001
A modern classic of Slovenian cinema, the tale of a man who went out for bread and milk and lost himself to alcohol...
- 8/8/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: London-based company have brought the first four features of their ten film $30m slate to Cannes.
Mike Downey and Sam Taylor’s Film and Music Entertainment (F&Me) are in Cannes with the first four completed features of their 2014 slate.
The ten film $30m slate is led by Julien Temple’s Rio 50 Degrees, broadcasts today [May 18] on the BBC, and is sold in Cannes by Metro International Entertainment. Produced by Downey and Taylor, the film will broadcase on Arte after its German theatrical release in June.
Downey commented: “The F&Me team have been working on the picture up until Friday afternoon to fine tune it for the Sunday broadcast, and the workd is a testament to the brilliant editing of Caroline Richards.
“The film has great chances of an international theatrical and festival life prior to settling down into ancillaries prior to the Olympic games.”
F&Me has also just delivered Ben Hopkins’ Welcome to Karastan to Stealth...
Mike Downey and Sam Taylor’s Film and Music Entertainment (F&Me) are in Cannes with the first four completed features of their 2014 slate.
The ten film $30m slate is led by Julien Temple’s Rio 50 Degrees, broadcasts today [May 18] on the BBC, and is sold in Cannes by Metro International Entertainment. Produced by Downey and Taylor, the film will broadcase on Arte after its German theatrical release in June.
Downey commented: “The F&Me team have been working on the picture up until Friday afternoon to fine tune it for the Sunday broadcast, and the workd is a testament to the brilliant editing of Caroline Richards.
“The film has great chances of an international theatrical and festival life prior to settling down into ancillaries prior to the Olympic games.”
F&Me has also just delivered Ben Hopkins’ Welcome to Karastan to Stealth...
- 5/19/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Projects to receive a share of $7.5m also include new films from Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah), Alex van Warmerdam (Borgman), the Taviani Brothers (Caesar Must Die), Tudor Giurgiu (Of Snails and Men) and Susanne Bier collaborator Anders Thomas Jensen.Scroll down for full list of titles including funding amount and co-producers
Paolo Sorrentino’s upcoming project, In the Future (Il Futuro), is to receive €460,000 ($640,000) from the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund. The film marks the Italian director’s follow-up to Oscar-winner The Great Beauty and is set set to start shooting in May, starring Michael Caine.
The intimate drama about “friendship between two old people” is from Sorrentino’s regular producers, Nicola Giuliano and Francesca Cima through Indigo Films with French co-producer Bis Films. Co-financing comes from Italian distributor Mediaset/Medusam, which looks set to release in Italy later this year.
It is one of 19 films, which includes a documentary and an animated feature, that will receive...
Paolo Sorrentino’s upcoming project, In the Future (Il Futuro), is to receive €460,000 ($640,000) from the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund. The film marks the Italian director’s follow-up to Oscar-winner The Great Beauty and is set set to start shooting in May, starring Michael Caine.
The intimate drama about “friendship between two old people” is from Sorrentino’s regular producers, Nicola Giuliano and Francesca Cima through Indigo Films with French co-producer Bis Films. Co-financing comes from Italian distributor Mediaset/Medusam, which looks set to release in Italy later this year.
It is one of 19 films, which includes a documentary and an animated feature, that will receive...
- 3/18/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Berlinale festival director Dieter Kosslick and veteran Polish film-maker Andrzej Wajda are to receive the Kristian Award for their Contributions to World Cinema at this week’s Prague International Film Festival – Febiofest.
The award for Wajda will be accepted on his behalf by the actor Robert Więckiewicz, who plays the title in the director’s latest film Walesa: Man Of Hope, at Febiofest’s opening ceremony on 20 March.
“There is probably not a person in Central European cinema who would document their homeland’s history with such consistency and emphasis on the desire for freedom and protection of elementary moral values,” Febiofest’s programme director Stefan Uhrik commented.
“Visionary“ Kosslick
The honour for Kosslick will be his first Czech award to add to a host of other distinctions he has received during over 30 years working in the world of film funding and, latterly, festival programming at the Berlinale since 2001.
“He is a visionary man who is also...
The award for Wajda will be accepted on his behalf by the actor Robert Więckiewicz, who plays the title in the director’s latest film Walesa: Man Of Hope, at Febiofest’s opening ceremony on 20 March.
“There is probably not a person in Central European cinema who would document their homeland’s history with such consistency and emphasis on the desire for freedom and protection of elementary moral values,” Febiofest’s programme director Stefan Uhrik commented.
“Visionary“ Kosslick
The honour for Kosslick will be his first Czech award to add to a host of other distinctions he has received during over 30 years working in the world of film funding and, latterly, festival programming at the Berlinale since 2001.
“He is a visionary man who is also...
- 3/18/2014
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
At the closing awards ceremony of the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Janos Szasz’s "Le Grand Cahier" (Hungary) took the top prize, the Crystal Globe, which comes with $25,000 to be split by director and producer (Sandor Soth). The film also earned the Europa Cinemas Label. (Full list of winners below.) Based on Agota Kristof’s award-winning World War II novel "The Notebook," "Le Grand Cahier" is about 13-year-old twins who go to live with their grandmother during the war. The first feature backed by the new Hungarian Film Fund, "Le Grand Cahier" is co-produced with Austria's Amour Fou, France's Dolce Vita, Germany's Intuit and Hungary's Hunnia Film Studio. Brit filmmaker Ben Wheatley won the special jury prize ($15,000) for "A Field In England," which opened in the UK on Friday. Czech director Jan Hrebejk won best director for his film "Honeymoon," while Czech director Alice Nellis earned the audience award for "Revival.
- 7/7/2013
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Janos Szasz’s Le Grand Cahier walked away with the Crystal Globe at the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.Scroll down for full list of winners
The Hungarian film impressed jury and industry alike with its depiction of 13-year-old twins sent to their grandmother during the Second World War (it is based on Agota Kristof’s award-winning novel The Notebook).
The producer of the film, Sandor Soth [pictured], picked up the award in front of a delighted audience. Le Grand Cahier was co-produced with Austria (Amour Fou), France (Dolce Vita) and Germany (Intuit), and it is the first completed feature to be backed by the new Hungarian Film Fund (the Hungarian production company was Hunnia Film Studio.
The Kviff top prize comes with $25,000 to be split by director and producer. The film also won the Europa Cinemas Label.
Ben Wheatley won the special jury prize (worth $15,000) for A Field In England and appeared in a special video thank...
The Hungarian film impressed jury and industry alike with its depiction of 13-year-old twins sent to their grandmother during the Second World War (it is based on Agota Kristof’s award-winning novel The Notebook).
The producer of the film, Sandor Soth [pictured], picked up the award in front of a delighted audience. Le Grand Cahier was co-produced with Austria (Amour Fou), France (Dolce Vita) and Germany (Intuit), and it is the first completed feature to be backed by the new Hungarian Film Fund (the Hungarian production company was Hunnia Film Studio.
The Kviff top prize comes with $25,000 to be split by director and producer. The film also won the Europa Cinemas Label.
Ben Wheatley won the special jury prize (worth $15,000) for A Field In England and appeared in a special video thank...
- 7/7/2013
- ScreenDaily
Still from Your Name is Justine
The 18th European Union Film Festival hosted by the Entertainment Society of Goa will be held at Maquinez Palace from April 19-30,2013.
The festival will be inaugurated by Fredrika Ornbrant, Consul General of Sweden on 19th April 2013 at 5:00pm, Maquinez Palace- Audi I.
The theme of the 18th edition of the festival is ”Celebrating Women” and 24 films each from a different EU member state will be screened.
Some of the films being screened are “Altiplano”, a Belgium film by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth, “Lora from Morning till Evening”, a Bulgarian film by Dimitar Kotsev, “Little Girl Blue”, a film from Czech Republic by Alice Nellis, “Applause” a film from Denmark by Martin Pieter Zandvliet, “After Five in the Forest Primeval”, a film from Germany by Hans-Christian Schmid, “Graveyard Keeper’s Daughter” a film from Estonia by Katrin Laur, “Your name is Justine...
The 18th European Union Film Festival hosted by the Entertainment Society of Goa will be held at Maquinez Palace from April 19-30,2013.
The festival will be inaugurated by Fredrika Ornbrant, Consul General of Sweden on 19th April 2013 at 5:00pm, Maquinez Palace- Audi I.
The theme of the 18th edition of the festival is ”Celebrating Women” and 24 films each from a different EU member state will be screened.
Some of the films being screened are “Altiplano”, a Belgium film by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth, “Lora from Morning till Evening”, a Bulgarian film by Dimitar Kotsev, “Little Girl Blue”, a film from Czech Republic by Alice Nellis, “Applause” a film from Denmark by Martin Pieter Zandvliet, “After Five in the Forest Primeval”, a film from Germany by Hans-Christian Schmid, “Graveyard Keeper’s Daughter” a film from Estonia by Katrin Laur, “Your name is Justine...
- 4/19/2013
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Toronto -- Indie distributor Vagrant Films Releasing has picked up the Canadian rights to Alice Nellis' Hampton festival awards winner "Mamas and Papas."
The film about the ups and downs of childbirth and parenting in the Czech Republic, as told through the intertwining stories of four couples, earned the Golden Starfish narrative feature award and the Zicherman screenplay award at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
Vagrant acquired the Canadian rights to "Mamas and Papas" from Wide Management ahead of a festival screening for Nellis' film at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
The indie distributor earlier picked up the Canadian distribution rights to Kang Sang Woo's "A Silk Letter," in addition to the South Korean film's international sales rights.
The film about a romance between an anti-military activist facing jail and a young lover will be shopped by Vagrant in Berlin.
The film about the ups and downs of childbirth and parenting in the Czech Republic, as told through the intertwining stories of four couples, earned the Golden Starfish narrative feature award and the Zicherman screenplay award at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
Vagrant acquired the Canadian rights to "Mamas and Papas" from Wide Management ahead of a festival screening for Nellis' film at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
The indie distributor earlier picked up the Canadian distribution rights to Kang Sang Woo's "A Silk Letter," in addition to the South Korean film's international sales rights.
The film about a romance between an anti-military activist facing jail and a young lover will be shopped by Vagrant in Berlin.
- 10/11/2010
- by By Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech," starring Colin Firth as Britain's King George VI, won the narrative audience prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival tonight in East Hampton, NY. The documentary audience award went to Jill Andresevic's "Love Etc." The festival, which closes tomorrow on Long Island in New York, awarded a number of prizes at Sunday night's ceremony. In the festival's Golden Starfish Competition, Alice Nellis' "Mamas and Papas" won ...
- 10/11/2010
- Indiewire
East Hampton, NY (October 10th, 2010) – The Hamptons International Film Festival announced tonight their audience, jury and special prizes at their awards ceremony. Tom Hooper’s The King’S Speech and Jill Andresevic’s Love Etc. take the audience awards honored tonight among the film industries finest. Mamas And Papas, directed by Alice Nellis, was selected by the jury as the winner of The Golden Starfish Narrative Feature Award. The Documentary Golden Starfish went to Aaron Schock’s Circo. Mamas And Papas also took home the Zicherman Screenplay Award. Another winner in the Narrative category, Xavier Dolan’s Heartbeats took the Kodak Award for Best Cinematography. The festival’s Brizzolara Family Conflict and Resolution Award was presented to Lisa Gossel’s My So Called Enemy. Special awards went to The House Of Suh, directed by Iris Shim, which was the winner of the Investigation Discovery Award for Excellence in Journalism, and No Tomorrow,...
- 10/11/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Five films will compete for one of the North American film festival circuit's most generous awards, the Golden Starfish narrative feature prize, worth $125,000 in cash and in-kind services, at the 18th Hamptons International Film Festival. Xavier Dolan's "Heartbeats", Hilda Hidalgo's "Of Love and Other Demons," Alice Nellis' "Mamas and Papas," Nikolaj Steen's "Old Boys" and Cam Archer's "Shit Year" will vie for the award. The festival takes place from October ...
- 9/16/2010
- Indiewire
European Union Film Festival is being organized in Mumbai by Spanish Consulate in collaboration with Federation of Film Societies of India.
The festival will run from 9th May 2010 to 19th May 2010 at Fun Republic, Andheri (W) and Metro big Cinemas, Dhobi Talao. The admissions to the shows are free and on first come first serve basis.
Schedule For Metro Big Cinemas
Monday 10.05.2010
6.00 p.m.Roosters Breakfast (Slovenia/2007/124minutesDir – Marko Nabersnik)
8.00 p.m.Grave Decisions (Germany/2006/104 min/M Rosemuller)
Tuesday 11.05.2010
6.00 p.m. Luxemburg (Luxemburg/2007/90min/C Wagner)
8.00 p.m. Magdalene (Malta/2009/25 min/Dir – Rebecca Cremona)Christopher Columbus (Portugal/2007/75 min/M De Oliveira)
Wednesday 12.05.2010
6.00 p.m. -The Beheaded Rooster (Romania/2007/90 min/R Gabera)
8.00 p.m. -One Hundred Nails (Italy/2007/92 min/E Olmi)
Thursday13.05.2010
6.00 p.m. -The World is Big Salvation Lurks Around the Corner( Bulgaria/2008/105 min/Stephen Komandrev)
8.00 p.m. -The Age Stupid ( UK/2009/92 min/F Armstrong)
Friday14.5.2010
11.00 a.m. - ATale...
The festival will run from 9th May 2010 to 19th May 2010 at Fun Republic, Andheri (W) and Metro big Cinemas, Dhobi Talao. The admissions to the shows are free and on first come first serve basis.
Schedule For Metro Big Cinemas
Monday 10.05.2010
6.00 p.m.Roosters Breakfast (Slovenia/2007/124minutesDir – Marko Nabersnik)
8.00 p.m.Grave Decisions (Germany/2006/104 min/M Rosemuller)
Tuesday 11.05.2010
6.00 p.m. Luxemburg (Luxemburg/2007/90min/C Wagner)
8.00 p.m. Magdalene (Malta/2009/25 min/Dir – Rebecca Cremona)Christopher Columbus (Portugal/2007/75 min/M De Oliveira)
Wednesday 12.05.2010
6.00 p.m. -The Beheaded Rooster (Romania/2007/90 min/R Gabera)
8.00 p.m. -One Hundred Nails (Italy/2007/92 min/E Olmi)
Thursday13.05.2010
6.00 p.m. -The World is Big Salvation Lurks Around the Corner( Bulgaria/2008/105 min/Stephen Komandrev)
8.00 p.m. -The Age Stupid ( UK/2009/92 min/F Armstrong)
Friday14.5.2010
11.00 a.m. - ATale...
- 5/7/2010
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
San Sebastian fest gives Spanish industry a boost
MADRID -- Spanish filmmakers went back to work Monday with renewed vigor following the hugely successful 50th San Sebastian International Film Festival, which was widely seen as giving the industry a much needed boost. San Sebastian has often seemed like a poor relative of the Cannes and Venice festivals, following along after they have had their pick of films in competition. It has been seen as merely a stomping ground for art house buffs and Spanish-language film lovers. This year, however, Spain's only A-category festival seemed to stand out in the festival lineup as a solid competition with a steady stream of stars and an exciting market. Francis Ford Coppola received a special 50th Anniversary Award, while Dennis Hopper, Jessica Lange and Bob Hoskins each received Donostia Prizes for lifetime achievement. Alice Nellis took home the coveted 150,000 ($148,000) New Directors Award for her Czech film Some Secrets.
- 10/1/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eeny Meeny
Whimsy often doesn't travel great distances, especially when much of the humor underlying that whimsy is rooted in the cultural and political workings of a small Czech town. The emigre audience that turned out for "Eeny Meeny" at the Nortel Palm Springs International Film Festival found amusement in even the smallest details, such as the preparation of vegetables and other foods in a kitchen apartment. But for non-Czech viewers, "Eeny Meeny" is too slight and uneventful to have any meaningful impact.
This film from young documentarian Alice Nellis, who wrote and directed, made the festival rounds last year and might have a few more American stopovers before returning to its homeland for regional television sales.
"Eeny Meeny" feels like a play with only two key locations -- a small, unadorned flat and a drab polling place during a local election. Despite having won the right to vote after 40 years of communist rule, the townspeople seem singularly unenthusiastic about the election. The one exception is Helena (Theodora Remundova), a retired teacher torn between the campaign for her local hero and tending her invalid husband, Jenda (Leos Sucharipa), whom a stroke has left bitter and cranky.
Their daughter Jana (Iva Janzurova) returns from Prague to help out at the polling place, but she is highly distracted by an unraveling relationship with one of her married college professors.
Mostly, we watch people suffering from boredom. The bedridden father idly flips channels on his TV set while the polling place volunteers wait forlornly for a few citizens to drag themselves off the street to vote. Someone smuggles alcohol into the polling place, which loosens inhibitions and results in a Florida-style disaster with the ballots.
Most audiences will soon share in the characters' boredom, though, as nothing much enlivens the comic drama other than the irony of voter apathy not long after "40 years of whining" for freedom.
One interesting aspect of the film is that the lead characters are real-life mother and daughter. Tech credits are modest but astute.
EENY MEENY
A Pozitiv and Czech Television production
Producers: Alice Nemanska, Helena Slavikova, Pavel Sodomka
Screenwriter-director: Alice Nellis
Executive producer: Klara Bukovska
Director of photography: Ramunas Greicius
Production designer: Petr Fort
Music: Tomas Polak
Editor: Josef Valusiak
Color/stereo
Cast:
Helena: Theodora Remundova
Jana: Iva Janzurova
Jenda: Leos Sucharipa
Running time -- 104 minutes
No MPAA rating...
This film from young documentarian Alice Nellis, who wrote and directed, made the festival rounds last year and might have a few more American stopovers before returning to its homeland for regional television sales.
"Eeny Meeny" feels like a play with only two key locations -- a small, unadorned flat and a drab polling place during a local election. Despite having won the right to vote after 40 years of communist rule, the townspeople seem singularly unenthusiastic about the election. The one exception is Helena (Theodora Remundova), a retired teacher torn between the campaign for her local hero and tending her invalid husband, Jenda (Leos Sucharipa), whom a stroke has left bitter and cranky.
Their daughter Jana (Iva Janzurova) returns from Prague to help out at the polling place, but she is highly distracted by an unraveling relationship with one of her married college professors.
Mostly, we watch people suffering from boredom. The bedridden father idly flips channels on his TV set while the polling place volunteers wait forlornly for a few citizens to drag themselves off the street to vote. Someone smuggles alcohol into the polling place, which loosens inhibitions and results in a Florida-style disaster with the ballots.
Most audiences will soon share in the characters' boredom, though, as nothing much enlivens the comic drama other than the irony of voter apathy not long after "40 years of whining" for freedom.
One interesting aspect of the film is that the lead characters are real-life mother and daughter. Tech credits are modest but astute.
EENY MEENY
A Pozitiv and Czech Television production
Producers: Alice Nemanska, Helena Slavikova, Pavel Sodomka
Screenwriter-director: Alice Nellis
Executive producer: Klara Bukovska
Director of photography: Ramunas Greicius
Production designer: Petr Fort
Music: Tomas Polak
Editor: Josef Valusiak
Color/stereo
Cast:
Helena: Theodora Remundova
Jana: Iva Janzurova
Jenda: Leos Sucharipa
Running time -- 104 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 1/18/2001
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.