Three Slovak Films in Competitions of 25th ART FILM FEST Košice
The 25th ART FILM FEST Košice (June 16-24, 2017) will see three Slovak films compete.
The International Competition of Fiction Feature Films selection includes two Slovak majority co-productions screened in their Slovak premieres. The graduation film of Tereza Nvotová Filthy, world premiered at 46th International Film Festival Rotterdam, will thus vie for the Festival main award, Blue Angel, with only recently, at 70th Festival de Cannes, Un Certain Regard, world premiered Out by Györgi Kristóf.
The third film in question is none other than Michal Blaško directed short Atlantis, 2003, also world premiered at 70th Festival de Cannes within Cinéfondation short film competition, now being one of the contestants in International Competition of Shorts. Yet, not only the list doesn't end here, it doesn't end with traditional Slovak Season either.
The two international juries comprise of actress Alexandra Borbély, film director Juraj Lehotský, actress Samar Qupty from the last year Blue Angle Laureate Junction 48, film director and producer Tomáš Weinreb (I, Olga Hepnarová) and Jean-Marc Thérouanne, historian and festival curator (all International Jury), and film and art curator Daniel Ebner, film producer Marija Razguté and festival programmer Stine Wangler (Shorts Competition Jury).
The highest concentration of the Slovak films can be found within Slovak Season, this year presenting 8 feature-length, 3 mid-length and 1 short films. The fiction features are represented by A Prominent Patient (d. Julius Ševčík), Ice Mother (d. Bohdan SLáma), Kidnapping (d. Mariana Čengel Solčanská), Little Harbour (d. Iveta Grófová) and Spoor (d. Agnieszka Holland). The section includes six documentaries, feature-length A Hole in the Head (d. Robert Kirchhoff), Martin Ťapák (d. Marek Ťapák) and Ten Years of Love (Adam Hanuljak), and three mid-length ones: Addicted to Altitude, Part One: Ivan Gálfy and Addicted to Altitude, Part Two: Cruel Everest (both d. Pavol Barabáš) and Sunrise Hotel (d. Mária Rumanová). The only short film in selection is an animated diary 39 Weeks, 6 Days of & by Joanna Kozuch, Boris Šima.
This edition of ART FILM FEST Košice dedicated the section and a Special Award Actor's Mission to Czech actor Ondřej Vetchý and Slovak actress Magdaléna Vášáryová. Altogether five Slovak films screen to remind of both actors' talents: A Gentle Creature (d. Stanislav Barabáš), Cruel Love (d. Martin Ťapák), Simple Pleasures (d. Dušan Hanák) and Hostage (d. Juraj Nvota).
Two film directors, Dušan Trančík and Jan Hřebejk, will receive Golden Camera, and given this occasion, History Lesson and The Bright Spot (d. Dušan Trančík) and The Family Friend and The Teacher (d. Jan Hřebejk) will be screened.
Festival President's Award will be this year handed to Czech actor and President of Karlovy Vary IFF Jiří Bartoška with The Tiger Theory (d. Radek Bajgar) to remind of his talent.
A carte blanche section built up by Slovak documentary film maker Peter Kerekes called simply Peter Kerekes Special includes his documentary about Košice's Old Swimming Pool 66 Seasons.
If you like to watch your films under the starry sky, we have good news. Amphiteater will show seven films, and among them All or Nothing (d. Marta Ferencová), Cuky Luky Film (d. Karel Janák), and IMT Smile and Lucnica: Made in Slovkia (d. Palo Janík).
Slovak films are included also in the panel discussions and talks, especially with Images of/against Extremism: Media Manipulation and Images of/against Extremism: Nationalism in Ourselves. You are most welcome to join debates on Popular Cinema in Slovakia: Will Slovak cinema surpass that magic number of one million viewers in 2017? and WHO WOULD WANT TO FILM IN SLOVAKIA ANYMORE? (Slovakia without a Film Commission).
Complete list of films
25. AFF Košice Schedule
More details on Slovak feature-length film in programme: www.aic.sk/slovakfilms
Related AIC articles:
Art Film Fest Košice kicks off
Slovak films at Art Film Fest 2015
Slovak films at Art Film Fest 2014
published: 12.06.2017
updated: 16.06.2017