I. A Calendar»
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
1. 1. - 31. 12.
The 16th Viewers’ Choice Competition of the Czech and Slovak Premier Films Shown in 2009 – The Tachov Pumpkin was held at the Mže cinema in Tachov (Czech Republic). Viewers give each Czech or Slovak film a rating of Excellent, Good or Bad. When the screening ends they throw their ticket into the appropriate container. Yet this rating – Excellent, Good, Bad – is only one of the criteria for assessment. The average visitor-rate is another. The winning film is chosen by totalling the rankings in both categories. The winner for 2009 was Marie Poledňáková’s You Kiss Like God (Líbáš jako Bůh, 2009, CR). Altogether 26 films were screened in the competition.
5. 1.
The documentary film Ježíš je normální! (Take It Jeasy!, dir. Tereza Nvotová, 2008, CR – SR) was launched into distribution.
7., 14., 16., 19., 22., 26. and 29. 1.
Ponrepo, the screening hall of the National Film Archive at Bio Konvikt in Prague, hosted a screening of the films of Czech director Jiří Lehovec (3. 1. 1909 – 11. 12. 1995). Lehovec’s work was presented chronologically from the latter half of the 1930s to the mid 1970s over the course of seven evenings. A series of short films were shown under titles: The Thaumaturgic Eye (Divotvorné oko, 1938 – 1939, Czechoslovakia), Rhythm (Rytmus, 1939 – 1945, Czechoslovakia), The World of Colours and Tones (Svět barev a tonů, 1951 – 1954, Czechoslovakia), The Golden Dream (Zlatý sen, 1956 – 1959, Czechoslovakia), The Magic Lantern (Kouzelná svítilna, 1967 – 1975, Czechoslovakia) and the feature films Confession (Přiznání, 1950, Czechoslovakia) and Mykoin PH 510 (1963, Czechoslovakia). The screening was accompanied by an exhibition of some photographs by Jiří Lehovec in the cinema’s foyer.
8. - 14. 1.
Prague’s Evald cinema gave a chamber screening of seven Scandinavian films of the past ten years. The following films were screened: Italiensk for begyndere (dir. Lone Scherfig, 2000, Denmark – Sweden), Folk klest bor i Kina (dir. Morten Tyldum, Arild Fröhlich, Ingeborg Torgersen, Terje Rangnes, Magnus Martens, 2002, Norway), Bard Breien’s Czech-lion awarded film Kunsten å tenke negativt (2006, Norway) and another film by director Lone Scherfig Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002, Denmark – Great Britain – Sweden – France). Finnish film was represented by Aki Kaurismäki’s Laitakaupungin valot (2006). The festival concluded with the screening of two films by Danish director Henrik Ruben Genz Kinamand (2005, Denmark – China), which received at IFF in Karlovy Vary 2005 the Award of the ecumenical jury and the FIPRESCI award, and the film Frygtelig lykkelic (2008, Denmark), which received the Grand Prix – the Crystal Globe – at the IFF in Karlovy Vary in 2008.
9. 1.
The European Commission passed the Media Mundus project focused on broader international cooperation in the audiovisual sector. The intention is to strengthen cultural and commercial relations between the European film industry and filmmakers from non-European countries. In 2011 to 2013 the European Union will provide 15 million euros (CZK 400 million) to submitted projects. The aim of the proposed programme is to intensify the exchange of information between specialists, to improve competitiveness and the national distribution of audiovisual works throughout the world by increasing public demand, especially among the young, for a culturally diverse audiovisual content.
11. 1.
13. - 18. 1.
The city of Tromsø (Norway) hosted the International Film Festival which featured the presentation of Czech films. The festival was held in conjunction with the National Film Archive in Prague and the Czech Embassy in Oslo. The documentary film René (2008) by Helena Třeštíková was chosen for the competition section. Four Czech films were presented in the Horizons section: A Country Teacher (Venkovský učitel, dir. Bohdan Sláma, 2008, CR– Germany – France), Citizen Havel (Občan Havel, dir. Pavel Koutecký, Miroslav Janek, 2008), The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow, dir. Petr Zelenka, 2008, CR – Poland) and Night Owls (Děti noci, dir. Michaela Pavlátová, 2008). In addition to this, a retrospective of Czech films from the 1960s was screened in collaboration with the National Film Archive Prague. The films included That Cat... (Až přijde kocour, dir. Vojtěch Jasný, 1963), Diamonds of the Night (Démanty noci, dir. Jan Němec, 1964), Intimate Lighting (Intimní osvětlení, dir. Ivan Passer, 1965), Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky, 1965) by Miloš Forman, Daisies (Sedmikrásky, dir. Věra Chytilová, 1966) and Moravian Hellas (Moravská Hellas, 1963) and Elective Affinities (Spřízněni volbou, 1968) by Karel Vachek. The special section Over Drive included a screening of the comedy Who Wants to Kill Jessie? (Kdo chce zabít Jessii?, dir. Václav Vorlíček, 1966). Famous Czech animated films were shown to children.
14. 1.
Prague’s Lucerna cinema hosted the ceremonial premiere of the Czech fairytale by director and producer Miloslav Šmídmajer Hell with the Princess (Peklo s princeznou, 2009).
15. 1.
The second multiplex cinema in Pardubice (Czech Republic) began its operation. Cinema City Czech company offers in the Afi Palace shopping centre eight cinema screening rooms and one screening room with a digital projector and 3-D technology. The cinema began operation with Ben Stassen’s 3D film Fly Me to the Moon (2008, Belgium – USA).
15. - 18. 1.
The BVV Congress Centre in Brno (Czech Republic) hosted 12th Festival of Films, Photographs and Publications on Travelling Topics – GO KAMERA 2009. In the Films category the film Cartensz – The Seven Mountain (Cartensz – Siedma hora, dir. Pavol Barabáš, 2008, SR) won, while second place went to Venezuela (dir. Jarda Šembera, 2004, CR) and third place to Philippine Happiness (Filipínské štěstí, dir. Tomáš Kubák, 2008, CR). 1st place in the category of lecture and screening on the theme of Tibet (1956 – still with the Dalai Lama) went to cinematographer Josef Vaniš (6. 1. 1927 – 12. 2. 2009).
15. 1. - 31. 5.
in Czech Republic The Project 100 – 2009 – 15th Year was held. Films were screened in select cinemas around the country. The aim of the festival was to support “art cinemas”, film clubs, Film and School projects and, last but not least, enriching the distribution offer. After the travelling exhibition the films will remain in distribution another five years. The following films were screened: Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauen (dir. F. W. Murnau, 1922, Germany), Animal Farm (dir. John Halas, Joy Bathelor, 1954, Great Britain), Shichinin no samurai (dir. Akira Kurosawa, 1954, Japan), Psycho (dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 1960, USA), Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (dir. Werner Herzog, 1979, Germany – France), Alice (Něco z Alenky, dir. Jan Švankmajer, 1987, Switzerland – Great Britain – Germany), Requiem for a Dream (dir. Darren Aronofsky, 2000, USA) and La Antena (dir. Esteban Sapir, 2007, Argentina). The festival was held in Slovakia on 10. 9. – 31. 12.
20. 1.
The ceremonial premiere of the Czech feature film Wingless (Ocas ještěrky, dir. Ivo Trajkov, 2009, CR – Macedonia) took place at the Lucerna cinema in Prague.
22. 1.
was held the 14th Creative Competition of the Association of Czech Advertising Agencies and Marketing Communication –METRO Golden Stone 2008. Golden Stones went to, among others, the advertising spots Lipno – Fernet Stock (dir. Michael Baumbruck, 2007, Young & Rubicam) and Munich Agreement (Mnichovská dohoda, dir. Jakub Hussar, 2008, EURO RSCG).
22. 1.
23. 1.
Czech cinemas showed in 2008 record revenues of 1.22 billion crowns that was 20 million crowns higher compared with 2007. Cinema attendance stood at 12.88 million people – the highest visitor rate in the past 14 years. The film with the highest attendance at cinemas was Slovak director Juraj Jakubisko’s Bathory (2008, SR – CR – Great Britain – Hungary) that was with a budget exceeding CZK 300 million the most expensive Central European film of the year.
23. - 29. 1.
The Lucerna cinema in Prague hosted the 2nd festival of Japanese films – Eiga-Sai 2009. In addition to the seven feature films that were screened in the Czech Republic for the first time, the festival also featured Japan Day which acquainted viewers with the culture of the land of the rising sun. The following films were screened: Biriken (dir. Yunji Sakamoto, 1996), 2/dyuo (dir. Nobuhiro Suwa, 1996), Karisuma (dir. Kyoshi Kurosawa, 2000), Tasogare Seibei (dir. Yoji Jamada, 2002), Chirusoko no natsu (dir. Kyoshi Sasabe, 2003), Futari biyori (dir. Keichi Nomura, 2004) and Always san-chôme no yûhi (dir. Takashi Yamazaki, 2005).
23. 1. - 2. 2.
The 32nd International Film Festival was held in Göteborg (Sweden) and its programme included the following Czech films: The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow, dir. Petr Zelenka, 2008, CR – Poland), On Parents and Children (O rodičích a dětech, dir. Vladimír Michálek, 2008), and the feature document Jan Saudek – Trapped by His Passions, No Hope for Rescue (Jan Saudek – V pekle svých vášní, ráj v nedohlednu, dir. Adolf Zika, 2007, CR – USA).
24. 1.
The Czech Film and Television Union’s awards ceremony TRILOBIT Beroun 2008, Vladislav Vančura Prize and Honourable Mention FITES – Czech Film and Television Union, Czech Literary Fund Foundation and the Town Beroun for Original Czech Film and Television Works was held for the twenty-second time. Pavel Štingl was awarded for his documentary films The Baluty Ghetto (Ghetto jménem Baluty, 2008) and Suchá Hora, the Hamlet at the End of the Line (Suchá Hora, dědina na konci trati, 2008). Marián Polák was also awarded for his documentary film for television A Living Picture of a Better World (Živý obraz lepšího světa, 2008). A TRILOBIT award also went to Miroslav Janek for his contribution to documentary film in 2008: for the documentary film made for television The Confessions of Kateryna K. (Zpověď Kateryny K., 2008), for camera work to the films The Baluty Ghetto (Ghetto jménem Baluty) and Suchá Hora, the Hamlet at the End of the Line (Suchá Hora, dědina na konci trati) and for the final version of a film to the late director Pavel Koutecký (10. 6. 1956 – 13. 4. 2006) Citizen Havel (Občan Havel, dir. Pavel Koutecký, Miroslav Janek, 2008). The Special jury award went to the cast of Petr Zelenka’s film The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow, 2008, CR – Poland). FITES Honourable Mentions went to Bohdan Sláma, author of the story idea, screenplay and director of the film A Country Teacher (Venkovský učitel, 2008, CR – Germany – France), to the Ostrava studio of Czech Television for its conceptual documentary work specifically focused on the lives and stories of people in helpless situations – particulary during the times of Nazi and Communist repression, but also today. Honourable Mention also went to Jaroslava Havettová, Jaromír Gál and Bára Dlouhá for the creatively resourceful and witty animated fairytales Gogo and Figi (Gogo a Figi, 2008), TV NOVA for endeavouring to find a unique path in dramatic work, particularly regarding the series Private Traps (Soukromé pasti), and for promoting student films with the programme A Night of Film Hopes (Noc filmových nadějí). FITES Honourable Mention also went to director Petr Jančárek and Petr Sibilev (music composer and film protagonist) for the documentary film for television Mr. Parkinson (Pan Parkinson, 2008). The prestigious Vladislav Vančura award went to director Ladislav Helge for creative and moral contribution to Czech film.
27. 1.
A thematic evening was held at the Prague House in Brussels (Belgium) as part of the month devoted to Czech film. The action entitled Lights! Camera! Prague! was organized in collaboration with the Czech Film Centre, the Film Commission and Barrandov Studio whose representatives presented Prague and its possible use for the film industry. The evening featured a sampling of foreign films in which Prague served as the main backdrop, a presentation of Lights! Camera! Prague!, an exhibition of costumes and film accessories. The aim was to present Prague from an untraditional viewpoint and compare its film and actual form.
28. 1.
The European Commission decided that producers of European films will have almost three more years to obtain financial contributions from the state coffers of the various EU member states. The current rules will apply until at least 2012. According to the European Commission, 1.6 billion euros goes annually for the support of European films.
29. 1.
The first screening of short films in 2009 – the iShorts Evening – was held. Four bachelor-degree films were screened from two Czech film schools – FAMU (Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague) and FAMO (the Miroslav Ondříček Film Academy) in Písek. Viewers saw two films from FAMU: Old Lady (Bába, dir. Zuzana Špidlová-Kirchnerová, 2008) – the winning film from FAMUfest 2008, Ludvík Got Lost (Ludvík se ztratil, dir. Marek Sajdok, 2008) and two films from FAMO: A Paper World (Svět z papíru, dir. Martin Kopp, 2008) and The Fifth Woman (Pátá žena, dir. Jiří Horut, 2009). The screening was held at the Palace Cinemas Slovanský dům multiplex in Prague.
29. 1.
A new film club was open in Jablonec nad Nisou (Czech Republic). Exceptional non-commercial films of high artistic value were screened in the Junior cinema and larger projects were screened at the Radnice cinema. The first film that the film club presented was Requiem for a Dream (dir. Darren Aronofsky, 2000, USA) from the Project 100 – 2009 – 15th travelling festivals of the collection of quality and award-winning films.
29. 1.
Filmexport Home Video presented its new project entitled Folk Year. It consists of four DVDs containing Czech folk customs and dress from medieval times. The project was based on the narration of historian and writer Vlastimil Vondruška on calendar customs and the dress of Czech people which has already come out in book form and been the subject of a theatre performance. The authors created a film form of the project and captured and used in it dozens of unique audiovisual documents from the collections of leading Czech and Moravian museums. The individual DVDs have the following titles: Winter’s End, Spring, Summer and Autumn, Advent and Christmas. The film was directed by Aleš Svoboda, with camera work by Karel Hložek and Václav Vokál. The DVD’s original songs are accompanied by Petr Traxler, with commentary by Otakar Brousek senior and Stanislav Lehký.
29. 1. - 5. 4.
The Rudolfinum gallery in Prague exhibited for the first time in the Czech Republic a unique collection of experimental films by Andy Warhol (6. 8. 1928 – 22. 2. 1987), of the famous American painter, filmmaker and leading figure in Pop Art. The exposition entitled Andy Warhol Motion Pictures presented large-screen projections in the form of “revived” wall-mounted pictures on which large black-and-white faces of once famous figures of the 1960s were screened. The exhibition was unique in that Warhol films from the 1960s were digitised and available to the public forty years after their creation. Over the course of five years Warhol created over 100 short and long films. In 1964 to 1966 he experimented with film portrait and created many black-and-white silent films. Before his death in 1987 he decided that his film estate should be stored in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, from where the Prague gallery borrowed the collection. The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh also collaborated on the exhibition.
30. 1.
Prague’s cinema Lucerna held the nominations evening for Czech Lions 2008. The 16th nominations evening was dominated by the films The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow, dir. Petr Zelenka, 2008, CR – Poland), Tobruk (dir. Václav Marhoul, 2008, CR – SR) and A Country Teacher (Venkovský učitel, dir. Bohdan Sláma, 2008, CR – Germany – France). Altogether these films received 23 of 39 main nominations. All three films were nominated for best film, best director, best screenplay and best music. The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow), A Country Teacher (Venkovský učitel) and Tobruk also placed first, second and third, respectively, for the critic’s choice for best film, although a statuette is not awarded in this category. These films also placed in the same order for the secondary prize for best film poster. The CFTA – Czech Film and Television Academy (ČFTA – Česká filmová a televizní akademie) plaque for best film poster went to artists Aleš Najbrt and Bohumil Vašák for the poster for the film The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow). Filip Renč’s film Guard No. 47 (Hlídač č. 47, 2008, CR) received five Czech Lion nominations, while three went to Bathory (dir. Juraj Jakubisko, 2008, Slovakia – CR– Great Britain – Hungary). Members of the Czech Film and Television Academy nominated the following actors for Czech Lions: Anna Friel, Martha Issová, Zuzana Bydžovská, Lenka Termerová, Emílie Vášáryová, Zuzana Kronerová, Karel Roden, Ivan Trojan, Pavel Liška, Vladimír Dlouhý and David Novotný. Two nominations went to the film Night Owls (Děti noci, 2008, CR) by director Michaela Pavlátová for starring role (Martha Issová) and supporting role (Lenka Termerová). A single nomination went to another six films, three of which – The Baluty Ghetto (Ghetto jménem Baluty, dir. Pavel Štingl, 2008), Citizen Havel (Občan Havel, dir. Pavel Koutecký, Miroslav Janek, 2008) and René (dir. Helena Třeštíková, 2008) were nominated in the category of documentary films, in which the jury awarded annual prizes for the first time ever. In the category of creative work the first Czech computer-animated feature film Goat Story – Legends of Old Prague (Kozí příběh Prahy – Pověsti staré, 2008, CR) by animator Jan Tománek, Jr. received a nomination. The first Czech Lion statuette was also presented at the nomination evening. In the category of Best Foreign Film in Czech Distribution it was presented to representatives of BONTONFILM, for the film No Country for Old Men (dir. Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2007, USA). The Award of the film critics for best documentary film went to Citizen Havel (Občan Havel). Awards for documentary works from 1993 to 2007 in which awards went to the documentary works Czech Dream (Český sen, dir. Vít Klusák, Filip Remunda, 2004), Marcela (dir. Helena Třeštíková, 2007), The Power of Humanity – Nicholas Winton (Síla lidskosti – Nicholas Winton, dir. Matej Mináč, 2001, CR – SR). Readers of the site iDnes.cz awarded Bohdan Sláma’s Country Teacher (Venkovský učitel, 2008, ČR – Germany – France) and the award for the legally “most downloaded Czech film in the O2 TV video library” went to the creators of the films The Can (Gympl, dir. Tomáš Vorel, 2007). Also nominated were the holders of the second and third prize in the competition of screenplays not yet realised with the Sazka award, in which the Milan Tesař author of the screenplay Burden (Břemeno) took second prize and in third place Petra Soukupová for the screenplay Shorten (Na krátko). The winner was announced at the Czech Lions presentation evening held on 7 March at Lucerna’s Large Hall.