Slovenčina                                                              28.03.2024, 20:38
web updates

Slovak Films in Ukraine: from silent to contemporary

The 44th edition of Molodist International Film festival in Kyiv (Oct 25 – Nov 2, 2014) dedicates generous space to a special Focus on Slovak cinema, presenting films from the early silent beginnings to the contemporary reflection of Slovakia nowadays. From Kyiv, the collection of films travels to Lviv, as a special Slovak Molodist extension.

The Focus section offers an interesting glimpse to the Slovak film archives, starting with Jánošík by Jaroslav Siakeľ, the very first full-length film made in 1921 by American Slovaks coming to their homeland to shoot the story of the Slovak national hero. Thanks to their enthusiasm and devotion, Slovakia ranks among the first countries with a silent full-length feature film.

Three films from the period of 1960s present the creative spirit of the times: the lyrical story of The Sun in a Net (Slnko v sieti, 1962) by Štefan Uher, as the first film of the acclaimed Czecho-Slovak New Wave, being also the opening film of the Focus; wonderful masterpiece Before Tonight Is Over (Kým sa skončí táto noc, 1965) full of creative improvisation  by Peter Solan and Juraj Jakubisko´s tale of love, death and insanity Birdies, Orphans and Fools (Vtáčkovia, siroty a blázni, 1969). The collection also includes Pictures of the Old World (Obrazy starého sveta, 1972) by Dušan Hanák showing intimate portraits of old people living free even in a civilization of chaos and uncertainty, and Tenderness (Neha, 1991), debut feature by Martin Šulík in which he sends twenty-year-old Šimon on a journey of self-discovery.

Building on the tradition of the great works of Slovak cinema, some of which are part of the Focus, Slovakia 2.0 (Slovensko 2.0, 2014) unites 10 contemporary film directors across generations in an attempt to explain the notion of “Slovakia” of the past 20 years to an unknown stranger, a visitor from another planet.

With a special programme for children, two Slovak unique fairy-tales by Juraj Jakubisko are presented in the Molodist for Kids: The Fairy Lady (Perinbaba, 1985), featuring Giulietta Masina using her magic to send snow down on Earth and do some good in people6´s lives, and Freckled Max and the Spooks (Pehavý Max a strašidlá, 1987), a parody of frankensteinian stories about a little orphan landing in a castle full of scary creatures.

Slovak contestant in the International Competition of Student Films, The Stop on the Main Street (Odchod na korze, 2013) by Peter Zakuťanský, also draws on strong filmmaking tradition, namely the Oscar-winning The Shop on Main Street (Obchod na korze, 1965) by Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos.

In the Industry section of the festival, 6th Boat Meeting, Slovak producer Wanda Adamik Hrycova (Wandal Production) will present the upcoming film by Peter Bebjak, Shengen Story, currently in development and in search of Central and Eastern European co-producers.

After the presentation at Molodist in Kyiv, The Focus section moves to the city of Lviv as a special showcase in the cinema Sokil, co-organized by the local “art formation” Wiz-art, organizer of various modern cultural events with the aim to develop, organize and provoke cultural sector in Ukraine through film and visual culture. The event will be opened by the General Consul of the Slovak Republic in Ukraine, Ms. Jana Burianová.

Slovak Film Institute
presents Slovak Focus at Molodist thanks to the year-long good relations with the festival, and to the generous support of the Slovak Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Slovak Embassy in Kyiv.

More information at:
www.molodist.com

published: 23.10.2014
updated: 24.10.2014