I. A Calendar»
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
1. - 3. 10.
The 12th International Festival of Sport Films SPORTFILM Liberec 2009 – FICTS WORLD CHALLENGE under the patronage of the Czech Olympics Committee was held. Czech films receiving awards from the jury included: In the reporting category CZECH TELEVISION Ostrava’s In the Wild Rapids of the Colorado River (V divokých peřejích Colorada, dir. Marek Hýža, 2009) and in the category of educational television and film to The Safe Slopes (Bezpečné sjezdovky, dir. Martin Králíček, 2008). The jury’s prize went to Marek Holeček for informal commentary and camera work in extreme conditions as displayed in the film To Touch the Sky (Dotknout se nebe, dir. Karel Jonák, 2009). The Jiří Kössl Award went to Czech Television’s film It Started with the Black Horse (Začalo to U černého koně, dir. Ivan Stehlík, 2009).
1. - 11. 10.
The non-competition The 4th Festival of German Speaking Films – DER FILM 2009 was held in 1. – 7. 10. at the Prague cinemas Aero and Světozor and in 8. – 11. 10. at the Art cinema in Brno. The festival was organized by the Goethe-Institute in Prague, the Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague and the Swiss Embassy in conjunction with the Prague cinemas Aero and Světozor. The festival’s programme was divided into five sections: Der Film Spezi, Die Doku, Josef Hader Retrospektive, 20 Years Later and DEFA: The Parallel World in Film. The Der Film Spezi section focussed on thematic and aesthetic tendencies in film and presented the most recent works from the films of German-speaking countries. The Die Doku section featured documentary films from German, Austria and Switzerland; the Josef Hader Retrospective section honoured this exceptional Austrian actor and cabaret star. In the section 20 Years Later the various protagonists of three documentary films deal with the fall of communism. DEFA section: The Parallel World in Film brought six classics of the most influential film studio of East Germany. The festival was attended by a number of guests including director Caroline Link, an Oscar winner for the film Nowhere in Africa (Nirgendwo in Afrika, 2001, Germany), who brought to the Czech Republic her recent film A Year Ago in Winter (Im Winter ein Jahr, 2008, Germany). As part of the retrospective of films of the DEFA studio the Goethe-Institute Prague presented in conjunction with the Progress-Film-Verleih distribution company an exhibition of posters. The exhibition was held at both the Aero and Světozor cinemas during the festival.
2. - 4. 10.
Rychnov nad Kněžnou (Czech Republic) held the 26th Nationwide Thematic Seminar of Instructors and Members of Film Clubs of the Czech and Slovak republics – Film Laughter 2009 of Jindřich Plachta. For three day the visitors – film club members from all over the country and Rychnov nad Kněžnou citiziens were acquainted with the major works from Plachta’s vast film career. Films screened included among others The Accordion (Harmonika, dir. Ladislav Brom, 1937), Journey to the Depths of the Student’s Soul (Cesta do hlubin študákovy duše, dir. Martin Frič, 1939), A Far Cry From (Nebe a dudy, dir. Vladimír Slavínský, 1941) and Karel and I (Karel a já, dir. Miroslav Cikán, 1942). At Saturday’s discussion Plachta’s daughter-in-law Mrs. Šolleová shared with viewers her family memories. A poll on the King of Film Comedy taken in 1999 by Czech Television and Television Weekly bears witness to the fact that Jindřich Plachta (real name Jindřich Šolle, 1. 7. 1899 – 6. 11. 1951) was a very popular film actor. He came in 9th in this poll.
5. 10.
Čáslav (Czech Republic), the native town of director Miloš Forman, held the pre-premier of Miloslav Šmídmajer’s film Miloš Forman: What Doesn’t Kill You... (Miloš Forman: Co tě nezabije..., 2009). The ceremonial screening was held in the Miloš Forman cinema.
5. - 11. 10.
České Budějovice, Český Krumlov and Třeboň (Czech Republic) hosted The 35th International Film Festival on the Environment, Natural and Cultural Heritage – EKOFILM 2009. This year’s festival was devoted to climate changes. Nearly one hundred and eighty films were judged by the international jury that decided on the following winning films: The EKOFILM 2009 Grand Prix went to the film Garbage Warrior (dir. Oliver Hodge, 2007, Great Britain – USA – Finland – Denmark) and winning Czech films included the award in the free-style category to the television animated series European Pexeso (Evropské pexeso, 2009) by director Maria Procházková. A promoter’s award – of the Czech Ministry of the Environment, went first to fourteen-year-old director Tomáš Daněk for his film Martian Saviour (Marťan Spasitel, 2007), and the other promoter’s award – of the town of Český Krumlov – went to director Jiří Petr for his film Natura Bohemica (2009). The award of the student’s jury went to Petr Kašpar for the film Tears of Congo (Slzy Konga, 2009).
5., 7., 12., 14. - 16., 19. - 21.10.
An extensive screening of the work of French director Jean Renoir was presented at Ponrepo, the screening hall of the National Film Archive at Bio Konvikt in Prague. Films from the later silent films era to the experimental phase of films with sound, to realistic dramaturgy at the onset of World War II to a sample of his post-war work were offered. Those films screened included La Chienne (1931, France), La Bête humaine (1938, France), La Grande illusion (1938, France) and Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1959, France).
6. 10.
The 9th Awards of the Association of Cinema Operators Nový Bor Academy of United Cinematography in the Czech Republic presented its annual awards decided on by the directors of cinemas throughout the Czech Republic. The award for best film went to You Kiss Like God (Líbáš jako Bůh, 2009) by director Marie Poledňáková, for best director to Václav Marhoul for his wartime drama Tobruk (2008, CR – SR), for best actress to Martha Issová for her role in films from September 2008 to August 2009, for best actor to Karel Roden for his roles in films from September 2008 to August 2009. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (dir. David Yates, 2009, USA – Great Britain) distributed by Warner Bros became the most successful film in distribution. The award of the president of the academy and Ajeto Glassworks went to director Věra Chytilová for her indelible print in world film. Nový Bor Academy of United Cinematography in the Czech Republic has associated for nine years the directors of nearly eighty single-screening-room cinemas in the Czech Republic.
6. 10. - 2. 11.
The Czech film by director Věra Chytilová Daisies (Sedmikrásky, 1966) was shown as part of the Gender in Film festival in Warsaw (Poland).
7. 10.
The ceremonial premiere of the Czech feature film Little Knights’ Tale (Ať žijí rytíři!, dir. Karel Janák, 2009) was held at the Palace Cinemas Nový Smíchov multiplex in Prague.
7. 10.
Světozor cinema in Prague hosted the ceremonial premiere of Miloslav Šmídmajer’s film Miloš Forman: What Doesn’t Kill You... (Miloš Forman: Co tě nezabije..., 2009).
7. - 8. 10.
The 42nd International Festival of Films and Videospots on Tourism TOURFILM 2009 concurrently with The 16th National Festival of Films, Videos and Multimedia on Regional Tourism TOUR REGION FILM 2009 went to the Indian film Incredible India. Receiving an award in the category of television documentaries and current event films up to 60 minutes were the Czech film Escape to Mauritius (Útěk na Mauritius, dir. Libor Špaček, Petra Doležalová, 2009) /2nd prize/ and The Undulant World of Rudolf Krautschneider (Rozhoupaný svět Rudolfa Krautschneidera, dir. Vladimír Šimek, 2009) /3rd prize/. The jury’s award went to the television series Picturesque Towns (Šumná města, dir. Radovan Lipus, 1996 – 2009) and the film Brahmaputra (dir. Ladislav Moulis, 2009). The CzechTourism award for audiovisual promotion of tourism went to Jiří Vejvoda of Czech Radio. A sidebar to the festival was the 16th National Festival of Films, Videos and Multimedia on Regional Tourism TOUR REGION FILM 2009, in which the following films were awarded: Category I – films: 1st prize to East to Eden (Na východ do ráje, dir. Jiří Novák, 2008), 2nd prize ZLiNY – Zlín in New York (dir. Jan Otruba, 2008), 3rd prize The Pilsen Region – Bohemian Miracle Water (Plzeňský kraj – Živá voda Čech, dir. Jan Loučím, 2009). The jury’s award went to the films The Kyjov Region – Attractive and Intriguing for Tourists (Kyjovsko lákavé a poutavé – vstříc turistům, dir. Pavel Jurda, 2007), Eastern Moravia – One Destination a Thousand Possibilies (Východní Morava – jedna destinace, tisíce podob, dir. Ivan Marek, 2009), Liberec Region – presentation clip (Liberecký kraj – prezentační klip, dir. Lukáš Pour, Jaromír Kalina, 2009), The Czech Republic – It’s Cool! (Česká republika – to letí, dir. František Vomáčka, 2009). Other jury awards were presented for the collection of films Services in Our Services (Služby v našich službách) to the Ministry for Regional Development of the CR and for camera work for the film Adršpach Rocks (Adršpašské skály, 2007) to director and cinematographer Miroslav Šolc.
7. - 11. 10.
The following Czech films were screened as part of the Ars poetica programme in Bratislava (Slovak Republic): Romance for the Bugle (Romance pro křídlovku, dir. Otakar Vávra, 1966, CSSR) and Images from an Excursion Beyond the Asylum Fence (Obrázky z výletu za plot blázince, dir. Dežo Ursiny, 1994, CR) and film of Czech director Jan Švankmajer Alice (Něco z Alenky, 1987, Switzerland – Great Britain – Germany).
7. - 11. 10.
The 17th Screening of Czech, Slovak and Polish Feature Flms – The Třinec Film Indian Summer was held (on 1. 8. 2009 the ZLOT opening event was held in the Vedryń). Thirteen Czech and coproduction films were featured in the programme, as well as Slovak and Polish films. The festival’s overall winner was the Polish film Jeszcze nie wieczor (2009) by director Jack Bławut, who came away with all the prizes awarded at the festival: The jury’s Golden Debut, the audience’s award, and the Shadow Jury’s award (winner of Golden Review student competition).
8. 10.
The Czech-Macedonian film by director Ivo Trajkov Wingless (Ocas ještěrky, 2009) was proposed for nomination for the American Film Academy’s Oscar Award in the category of best foreign language film. The Macedonian Association of Film Professionals decided on the selection.
8. 10.
For the ninth time the Awards of Sazka and the Society of Theatre Newspapers were given for artistic achievement in Czech theatre in 2008/2009. In the category of theatre play Ladislav Smoljak and Zdeněk Svěrák won for their play Czech Heaven at the Žižkov Theatre of Jára Cimrman. Best acting performance went to Kateřina Burianová for the role of Violet Weston in August in the Land of Indians at Prague’s National Theatre. In the category of Musical Theatre the prize went to Jan Schmid for directing the musical staging of Faust and Markétka at Studio Ypsilon, in the category of Dance and Ballet the prize was awarded to Jan Kodet for choreography of the ballet Camoufl.AGE in the National Theatre and in the category of Alternative Theatre the award went to Rosťa Novák for the La Putyka new circus performance. The recipients received a Golden and Silver Orpheus statuette, a gem – Golden and Silver Harp and a financial reward.
8. - 10. 10.
The 9th International Student Film Festival took place in Písek (Czech Republic). The festival’s Grand Prix – the Václav Krška Award, given by the city of Písek, went to the South Korean film My Dear Childike Cinderella (dir. Lee Yong-Woo, 2009). Czech films that won awards included Leave Ideals (Opustíme vzory, dir. Veronika Szemlová, 2009) – the award for best animated film, 3 Days (3 dny, dir. Zuzana Dubová, 2009) – the award of Universal Production Partners and the film Adam (dir. Tomáš Elšík, 2009) – special recognition for courage and honour to an individual.
8. - 22. 10.
In the competition of the 45th International Film Festival in Chicago the Golden Hugo for best documentary film went to Peter Kerekes’ Cooking History (Jak se vaří dějiny/Ako sa varia dejiny, 2009, SR – Austria – CR).
9. 10.
The feature-length documentary by screenwriter, director and producer Peter Kerekes How to Cooking History (Jak se vaří dějiny/Ako sa varia dejiny, 2009) that was created in Slovak-Austrian-Czech co-production was included among the ten films nominated for the prize of the European Film Academy (EFA). The production company Negativ, which is its Czech producer, received this prestigious award in 2008. The award is regarded as the “European Oscar” for documentary films. Helena Třeštíková’s film René (2008) won the Prix Arte at that time.
9. - 10. 10.
The 37th ARSfilm Kroměříž – International Selective Competition of Non-Professional Film and Video on Art, Animated Films, Videos Art and Experimentation was held. In international jury chaired by PhDr. Zuzana Škaludová (Slovak Republic) awarded a number of prizes. The grand prix of the town of Kroměříž – the Golden Kroměříž Tolar went to the film A Poet of Light (Básník světla, 2009) by director Petr Baran, the Jury’s Award – the Silver Kroměříž Tolar to director Jan Vačlena for A Good Person (Dobrý člověk, 2009), the UNICA Gold Medal to Italian director Franco Fais for the film SCIOLA: Oltre la Pietra and the Miette Verlinden de Decker Award to Pictures for Joy (Obrázky pro radost, 2009) by Ladislav Františ. In the first category – films on art, the main prize – the Bronze Kroměříž Tolar was awarded to the film Violinists (Houslaři, dir. Jiří Beneš, 2008), in category II – animated films the Main Prize – the Bronze Kroměříž Tolar went to You’ll Be a Different Person (Bude z vás jiný člověk, dir. Martin Láník, 2009) and the Viewers’ Choice Award – the Award of the Kroměříž House of Culture went to Violinists (2008) by Jiří Beneš.
10. 10.
An exhibition on the film Three Nuts for Cinderella (Tři oříšky pro Popelku/Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, dir. Václav Vorlíček, 1973, CSSR – DDR) was opened at the Moritzburg chateau not far from Dresden (Germany). The film was partially shot in its exteriors and interiors. The exhibition was in Czech and German and contained original costumes and props from the film. There was also a video-screening of interviews on the circumstances surrounding the creation of this project and the lives of its protagonists.
10. 10.
Films of Miloš Forman Talent Competition (Konkurs, 1963) and If Only They Ain’t Had Them Bands (Kdyby ty muziky nebyly, 1963) were screened at the 11th European Film Festival in Essone (France).
12. 10.
The neurosurgery clinic of the Teacher’s College of Masaryk University in Brno purchased a more modern neuroendoscope – a device used to examine and take tissue samples when operating on the brain. They used for this the CZK 500,000 that was collected from entrance-fee contributions by the Kinematograf bratří Čadíků travelling cinema around in 40 places around the country.
12. - 18. 10.
The 7th Festival of Bollywood Films 2009 was held for the seventh time. Světozor cinema in Prague partially hosted the festival and for the first time films were also screened at the Embassy of India in Prague. The 7th annual festival was subtitled Faces of India. Viewers could see the great Bollywood hits, as well as more serious films, independent films and exception documentaries. As with each year, the festival had a rich accompanying programme. This included a meeting and discussion with interesting guests professionally involved with Indian film, a sampling of Indian cuisine, decoration of the cinema in the Bollywood spirit and a competition exhibition of photography in the spaces of Světozor cinema. The programme also featured the best short or documentary films less than 60 minutes. Of the eight films screened in the competition the winner was Superman of Malegaon (dir. Faiza Ahmad Khan, 2008, Singapore – Japan – South Korea – India). The filmmaker received Kodak 35mm film material.
12. - 18. 10.
The “Head Full of Films” main prize of the international jury of the 50th International Competition Festival of Short Fiction Films – The Brno Sixteen 2009 – went to director Zuzana Špidlová-Kirchnerová’s Old Lady (Bába, 2008, CR). Film also won in the Student category and won the “Little Head Full of Films” Main Prize of the student jury. The festival director’s special award for the most interesting film by a filmmaker present went to Andaro: A Legend about the Big Nothing (Andaro – Legenda o velkém nic, dir. Roman Forst, 2009, CR) and 3 Days (3 dny, dir. Zuzana Dubová, 2009, CR). The film 3 Days also received honourable mention of the student jury. Altogether 297 films from 30 countries were screened at the Brno Sixteen.
13. 10.
Prague quarter 1 agreed with filmmakers on the rules for shooting in the city’s centre. The City Council set the fees that film crews will pay to the city’s part of the security fund. The council is requiring that producers promptly inform local residents or that they provide alternative parking for them. If filmmakers take up an area greater than one thousand square metres for a shot, if they will shoot for more than seven days, disrupt transportation or restrict the lives of residents through, for example, the use of pyrotechnics or artificial snow, they will pay Prague 1 ten crowns per square meter per day. If they shoot at night, they will contribute another ten crowns. They must also continue to pay the city district the local fee and to pay the Technical Administration of Roads for the lease of property. This fee is also ten crowns per square meter.
13. - 16. 10.
The Czech films Who’s Afraid of the Wolf (Kdopak by se vlka bál, dir. Maria Procházková, 2008), The White Lady (O bílé paní, dir. Martin Dolenský, 2008) and Little Knights’ Tale (Ať žijí rytíři!, dir. Karel Janák, 2009) were successful at The 41st Ota Hofman Children’s Film and Television Festival 2009. The adult jury gave the Ota Hofman Award for best work in the category of up-to-12 years to Czech Television’s fairytale The White Lady (O bílé paní). The best work in the category from 13 to 18 years was Maria Procházková’s Who’s Afraid of the Wolf (Kdopak by se vlka bál). The jury also awarded actors from these films with two honourable mentions – to Matouš Kratina for best actor in a children’s role and to Pavel Řezníček for best actor in an adult role. Vladimír Drha’s English Strawberries (Anglické jahody, 2008, CR – SR – Ukraine) won the jury’s special award for a work with the strongest moral tint. The children’s jury awarded the Crystal Chaton in the up-to-12 category to the fairytale Little Knights’ Tale. In the 13 – 18 age category the Crystal Chaton went to the Czech Television Brno film The Mystery of the Rainy Treasure (Tajemství dešťového pokladu, dir. Kryštof Hanzlík, 2009). The Golden Hoopoe award for best actors went to Andrea Žádníková and Jan Komínek for their roles as Kačenka and Vítek in Little Knights’ Tale. Based on the voting of the young viewer’s choice award went to the creators of the fairytale The Magic of Kings (Kouzla králů, dir. Zdeněk Zelenka, 2009, CR), produced in Czech Television.
14. 10.
The ceremonial premiere of The Pagan Queen (Kněžna Libuše, dir. Constantin Werner, 2008, CR – USA) was held at the Palace Cinema multiplex in Prague’s Slovanský dům.
14. 10.
The ceremonial premiere of the feature film My Husband’s Women (Ženy mého muže/Ženy môjho muža) was held at Prague cinema Lucerna. The film was shot by Ivan Vojnár in Czech-Slovak-Hungarian co-production in 2009.
14. 10.
The French company Malavida released two collections of Czech films from the 1960s on DVD. The collections consisted of 14 films by Jiří Menzel, Věra Chytilová, Karel Kachyňa, Miloš Forman, Vojtěch Jasný, Jaromil Jireš and Jan Němec. The films were digitally modified; the Czech audio was preserved but new French subtitles were added. A booklet with information on the film and the social conditions under which it was made, as well as on the work of the relevant director and film crew was provided with each film.
14. - 18. 10.
The Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performance Arts (FAMU) in Prague held a film workshop entitled SOURCES2 – Projects and Process. The workshop featured a pitching forum, a specialised workshop focussed on film script editing and lectures. The event opened with a pitching forum in which filmmakers could join a film project in the various phases of development. The aim of most of the actions is to find further financing. In Prague, however, screenwriters had the chance to consult their project with mentors from abroad and to get instance feedback in the form of recommendations on how to improve a screenplay or idea. Five major film specialists came to Prague, including script editor and teacher Dick Ross from Great Britain, who last worked with Danish director Lars von Trier. The specialised workshop offered the chance to work with a number of mentors and professional script editors.
14. - 30. 10.
The art of Czech film director Karel Zeman (3. 11. 1910 – 5. 4. 1989) was commemorated by a travelling exhibition in the Czech Center in New York. The exhibition mapped Zeman’s work in the Zlín Film Studio between 1945 – 1980. The exhibition of photography from Zeman’s films and work was supplemented by a screening of Zeman’s films A Journey into the Primeval Times (Cesta do pravěku, 1955), An Invention for Destruction (Vynález zkázy, 1958) and Baron Munchhausen (Baron Prášil, 1961).
15. - 18. 10.
The Hungarian Cultural Centre in Prague, the Polish Institute in Prague, the Slovak Institute in Prague and the Slovak Film Institute in Bratislava organized the 12th Screening of Contemporary Film Works – Central Europe 2009. The festival took place in the spaces of the Hungary Cultural Centre which screened a selection of new Hungarian, Polish, Czech and Slovak films with the filmmakers in attendance. Czech films screened included Little Foxes (Lištičky/Líštičky, dir. Mira Fornay, 2009, CR – SR – Ireland), Men in a Rut (Muži v říji, dir. Robert Sedláček, 2009), Jan Klusák – Axis Temporum (dir. Dan Krameš, 2009), The Landscape of Fate (Krajina osudu, dir. Pavel Kolaja, 2009) and from Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) There’s No Such Thing as Death (Smrt neexistuje, dir. Vít Zapletal, 2009), The Kids Are Looking at the Night Trains (Děti sledující noční vlaky, dir. Michal Hogenauer, 2008), Saharan Sands (Saharské písky, dir. Josef Tuka, 2009), Old Lady (Bába, dir. Zuzana Špidlová-Kirchnerová, 2008), The Borders (Hranice, dir. György Kristóf, 2009) and The Cigarettes of Lady Anne (Cigarety paní Anny, dir. Tomáš Mielnik, 2009). The festival was attended by, among others, directors Pavel Kolaja and Dan Krameš as well as filmmakers from FAMU.
16. 10. - 5. 12.
The 7th International Travelling Festival of Outdoor Films – A Competition and Screening of Adventure, Extreme, Andrenaline and Travel Films was held in 22 places in the Czech Republic. The entered films were divided into four categories – A. adventure and extreme sports film, B. mountain climbing and mountain films, C. adventurous water sports films and D. travel film The festival Grand Prix went to the director of Mount St. Elias (2008) Gerald Salmina of Austria. Award-winning Czech films included in category A first prize to the film The North Pole Through the Eyes of a UFO (Severní pól očima ufona, dir. Petr Horký, 2009), 2nd prize to Plateau (Planina, dir. Roman Grošek, 2008) and 3rd prize to Dolomitenmann 2008 (dir. Marian Schiebl, 2008). In category B third prize went to director Petr Pavlíček for the film Matrix Reloaded (2008). In category C 1st prize went to the film Interactions (Interactions – Ovlivňování, dir. Miroslav Hrdý, 2009) and 2nd prize to The Canyon of the River Colorado (V divokých peřejích Colorada, dir. Marek Hýža, 2009). 3rd prize was not awarded. In category D the film Ganga (2009) by Otakar Štěrba took 3rd place. The award for historical document went to the film Forgotten Expedition – With Matylda Along the River Indus (Zapomenuté výpravy – s Matyldou po Indu, dir. Jan Bělohlavý, 2008).
19. 10.
The Czech government approved the programme of measures to support Czech film, above all to make the Czech Republic more attractive for foreign filmmakers. Ten European countries have already introduced incentives for foreign filmmakers. The largest incentives have come from the Irish. Ireland is pledging to return to foreign film crews up to 28 percent of costs. Hungary, which has drawn much of the business away from the Czech film industry, will return a quarter, as will Great Britain. This is followed by Malta with 22 percent, and Germany and France with 20 percent. The number of foreign films shot in the CR is rapidly dropping. While in the recent period filmmakers in the Czech Republic have spent close to one billion crowns annually, in 2003 that was five billion. The programme, in which in adhering to all terms and conditions investors will be entitled to request a return of up to 20 percent of some incurred costs, will be fully launched as soon as it is ascertained that it is not in contradiction with European rules on state support of businesses.
19. 10.
Prague’s Světozor cinema hosted the premiere of Karel Čtveráček’s Czech documentary film The Bees Flew Beautifully (Včely letěly krásně, 2009), in which the director presented the story of the Seidel Photo Studio in Český Krumlov (Czech Republic). He recorded its renovations and rediscovery of a unique collection of some 140,000 historical photographs by Josef Seidel, the uncrowned king of photographers of the Šumava Mountain region. The premiere of the documentary film was connected to the opening of an exhibition of photographs from the Český Krumlov studio in the nearby Langhans Gallery.
19. - 26. 10.
The Romanian Cultural Institute in Prague held a festival devoted to films from countries recently accepted to the European Union or countries currently in the various stages of the accession process. The most recent films from the following countries were screened: Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. The festival was entitled New Waves, New Ways and was held under the auspice of the Czech Ministry of Culture. The organizer was the European Union National Institutes for Culture Czech Republic (EUNIC).
20. 10.
Czech Culture Minister Václav Riedlbauch presented to professor Ivan Vyskočil the Award of the Czech Ministry of Culture for long-life inspirational contribution in the area of theatre, creative work and drama teaching.
20. - 23. 10.
Aero cinema in Prague held the Arab Film Festival. The festival was divided into several thematic parts. It began with a profile of director Yusuf Shahin (1926 – 2008), which included a screening of the film Weda’an Bonapart (1985, Egypt – France) and Alexandria, Iskanderija, kaman oue kaman (1990, France – Egypt). The festival continued with a reflection upon the Israeli-Palestinean conflict in which the films Paradise Now (dir. Hany Abu-Assad, 2005, France – Germany – Netherlands – Israel) and Private (dir. Saverio Costanzo, 2004, Italy) were screened. A screening of Slovak documentary and experimental films addressed themes of the Middle East and the festival concluded with the contemporary Arab films Amin Matalqa (2007, Jordan), Genenek al asmak (dir. Yousry Nasrallah, 2008, Egypt – France – Germany) and Sabah (dir. Ruba Nadda, 2005, Canada).
21. 10.
The ceremonial premiere of the Czech feature film 2Bobule (dir. Vlad Lanné, 2009) was held at the Palace Cinemas Slovanský dům multiplex in Prague.
21. 10.
A screening of Studio FAMU films was organized by the Czech Cultural Centre in Russian in conjunction with the Cine Fantom club in Moscow. The programme featured the following films: Tomorrow’s Hope (Naděje zítřka, 2006) and Old Lady (Bába, 2008) by Zuzana Špidlová-Kirchnerová, The Barber Votress (Holička volička, dir. Kateřina Vrbová, 2006), The Jehova’s Organization /there’s only path to eternal life - will you take it?/(Jehovova organizace /je jen jediná cesta k životu věčnému – kráčíš po ní?/ ÚSTNĚ, dir. Jan Bušta, 2005), For Internal Use Only (Jen pro vnitřní potřebu, dir. Šimon Špidla, 2006) and Peninsula (Poloostrov, dir. Adam Brothánek, 2006).
21. 10.
As part of the Biennale 2009 in Bratislava (Slovak Republic) the following Czech animated films by director Eduard Hofman were screened among others: How Doggie and Pussycat Washed the Floor (Jak pejsek s kočičkou myli podlahu, 1950), How Doggie and Pussycat Baked a Cake (Jak si pejsek s kočičkou dělali dort, 1951), How Doggie Tore His Trousers (Jak si pejsek roztrhl kalhotky, 1951), How the Word Is Made (Jak je svět zařízen, 1955) and The Dog’s Fairytale (Psí pohádka, 1959).
21. - 23. 10.
The 8th International Festival of Films and TV Documentaries on Technical and Industrial Monuments Focusing on Cooperation in Scientific Research and on the Tourist Industry – TECHNÉ OSTRAVA 2009 was held at the Poklad House of Culture in Ostrava-Poruba (Czech Republik). Thirty-three films and television documentaries were selected, of which the jury awarded the following films: The festival Main Prix – The Ostrava Venus – to Pavel Abrahám’s documentary film for television The Steel Hearts of Machinery (Ocelové srdce strojírenství, 2009) from the series on traditional Czech brands The Family Silver (Rodinné stříbro). Czech films receiving honourable mention included the documentary film The Second Wind of Industrial Architecture (Druhý dech průmyslové architektury, dir. Miloslav Kučera, 2008) and the Czech Television Ostrava documentary series by Jaroslav Skalický and Karel Bělohlavý Well Worn Projects (Zašlapané projekty, 2009). Two documentaries were presented from this series at the festival: Undesirable Architects (Nežádoucí architekti, dir. Jindřich Procházka, 2009) and The Tatraplan Case (Kauza Tatraplan, dir. Petr Lokaj, 2009).
22. 10.
The Prague theatre Divadlo Na Vinohradech had its premiere of the theatre adaptation of the film Prova d’orchestra (Zkouška orchestru) by Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini from 1978. Artistic director of the theatre’s stage, Martin Stropnický, authored this version and directed it.
22. - 25. 10.
The Association of Slovak Film Clubs and the Slovak Film Institute, Bratislava organized at Levoča (Slovak Republic) the 12th Czech-Slovak Film Studies Conference Béla Balász – In Praise of Film Art.
22. - 25. 10.
The International Festival of Diving Film was held in the High Tatras in Slovakia. In the category of film and video Czech filmmakers awarded included director Miroslav Hrdý, who received first prize for his film Interactions (Interations – Ovlivňování, 2009) and Hugo Habrman who received second prize with the film The Leštinka Quarry – a Flooded History (Lom Leštinka – zatopená historie, 2009). The award of the festival’s director went to directors Roman Vávra and Saša Dlouhý for the film Valdes: The Whale Paradise (Valdéz, ráj velryb 2009).
22. - 29. 10.
Director Václav Marhoul’s Tobruk (2008, CR – SR) received the jury’s prize for feature film screenplay at the International Film Festival in Austin, Texas (USA). The festival is each year part of the Austin Film Festival & Conference, whose main goal is to support the importance of screenplays and screenwriters in film and production. The conference is attended by screenwriters, directors, producers and film company representatives.
22. 10. - 4. 11.
The programme of 47th Viennale 2009 in Vienna (Austria) featured the co-production Austrian – Slovak – Czech film Cooking History (Jak se vaří dějiny/Ako sa varia dejiny, 2009) with director Petr Kerekes in attendance. The film received the award for best feature-length documentary.
23. 10.
A screening of film advertisements – a Hollywood-style show Advertising Feast Night attracted three thousand film advertisement fans to the Palace Cinemas multiplex in Prague’s Slovanský dům. Over the course of five and a half hours they could see over 500 advertisements and meet impersonators of international stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Madonna. This screening of advertisement even featured those in which film celebrities such as Brad Pitt, John Travolta, Antonio Banderas and Uma Thurman appeared. A few Czech advertisements were also screened. The event was repeated on 30. 10. in Brno at the Palace Cinemas Velký Špalíček multiplex.
23. - 29. 10.
The Lincoln Center in New York held a retrospective screening of Czech films from the Velvet Revolution to present. The screening of fifteen films began with the North American distribution premiere of Pavel Koutecký’s and Miroslav Janek’s documentary film Citizen Havel (Občan Havel, 2008). In the days to follow the following films were screened: The Return of the Idiot (Návrat idiota, dir. Saša Gedeon, 1999, CR – Germany), Divided We Fall (Musíme si pomáhat, dir. Jan Hřebejk, 2000), Some Secrets (Výlet, dir. Alice Nellis, 2002, CR – SR), The Karamazovs (Karamazovi/Bracia Karamazow, dir. Petr Zelenka, 2008, CR – Poland) and others. The films were introduced by Czech actress Aňa Geislerová, director Petr Zelenka, producer of the film Empties (Vratné lahve, dir. Jan Svěrák, 2007, CR – Great Britain – Denmark) Eric Abraham, the dean of the Film and TV School of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague Pavel Jech, musician and singer Iva Bittová, general consul in New York Eliška Žigová and Martin Palouš, special ambassador of the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the UN in New York. The screening was organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in conjunction with the Czech Center in New York and the National Film Archive in Prague.
23. 10. - 8. 11.
The first part of the 10th Queer Film Festival – Mazzanine 2009 was held in the Scala and Art cinemas in Brno (Czech Republic). The second part took place from Nov 2 – 8 in Prague, at the Lucerna and Světozor cinemas. After the Brno part of the festival attended by four thousand people, the Prague part exceeded expectations. The festival’s films included Dolls (Pusinky, 2007) by director Karin Babinská, The Hope (Naděje, dir. Jan Kobler, 2009), Dykes Don’t Wear High Heels (Lesby nenosí vysoké podpatky, dir.Viktória Dzurenková, 2009) and Sometime Somebody (Někdy někoho, dir. Jakub Šmíd, 2009), the short films – documentary Roma Boys – The Love Story (Roma Boys – Příběh lásky, dir. Rozálie Kohoutová, 2009), Reunion (Shledání, dir. Dana Machajová, 2009) and The Wedding Dress (Šaty pro nevěstu, dir. Viktória Dzurenková, 2009), – animated Amsterdam Diary (Amsterodamský deník, dir. Lukáš Bača, 2008) and The Mindbender (Hlavolam, dir. Dana Bubáková, 2009) and the films for television What Ondrej Nepela Danced About (O co tančil Ondrej Nepela, dir. Kamila Vondrová, 2007) from the series Stories of the Famous (Příběhy slavných) and the 13th Chamber of Vladimír Marek (13. komnata Vladimíra Marka, prepared by Jana Klusáková, Jan Kadeřábek, Dagmar Smržová, 2008). In both cities the film programme was supplemented by a side-bar, such as the series of discussion lectures called the Queer café, in which there was opened the theme of physicality, sexual identities and language; there was also opened several exhibitions, mainly photographic, as well as an exhibition commemorating the ten-year development of the festival. One festival guest was Slovenian writer Brane Mozetić, who is an organizer for a similar festival in Ljubljana (Slovenia). His novel Angels was published this year in Czech. 8. 11. The festival results were announced at Lucerna cinema: The prize of the main jury for feature-length film went to Morrer como un homem, 2009 by Portuguese director João Pedro Rodrigues. In the category films against Bullying the 300 Euro prize went to Tomáš Hůsek’s film Little Nuts (Matičky). In addition to the usual three categories of prizes awarded, this year also included Mezzanine together with Gender Studies and the Consulting Room for the civic competition of Diversity against Bullying, where anyone can send his or her short film that addresses the subject of homophobia and its manifestations in society.
24. 10.
The premiere of the Czech feature-length experimental film Jan Hus – A Mass for Three Dead Men (Jan Hus – mše za tři mrtvé muže, 2009) was held in Prague’s Meet Factory, an international centre for contemporary art and also in DVD. It was shot by the accomplished theatre director Miroslav Bambušek and produced by Radim Špaček. The film deals with people who are not indifferent to public affairs. It draws attention to Englishman Graham Bamford who committed self-immolation in April 29 1993 in front of the British Parliament to protest the war in Bosnia, to the German Evangelic priest Oskar Brüsewitz who in 1976 protest the oppression of children and youth in East German schools and to the Polend Ryszard Siwiec who took his own life in September 1968 to protest the military intervention of Warsaw-pact countries in Czechoslovakia. Dramatist and director Miroslav Bambušek received, in addition to an award for theatre work in 2008, the award of the RWE Foundation & Barrandov Studio for the story idea for the screenplay The Case of Postelberg (Případ Postelberg).
26. 10.
Slovak actress Božidara Turzonovová received the annual Jozef Kroner Award that was presented for the ninth time in 2009at the House of Art in Piešťany (Slovak Republic). The same award went to Slovak actor Samuel Spišák for his role in the film Broken Promise (Nedodržený slib/Nedodržaný sľub, dir. Jiří Chlumský, 2009, CR – SR).
26. 10.
For many years of spreading the good name of Czech culture and art at home and abroad the Czech minister of culture Václav Riedlbauch presented the departmental decoration Artis Bohemiae Amicis (Friends of Czech Art) to actors Lubomír Lipský, Emílie Vášáryová and to the former Slovak ambassador in the Czech Republic, writer and dramatist Ladislav Ballek. The fourth award recipient was Ján Figeľ, former Slovak Euro commissioner for education, culture and youth.
26. 10. - 1. 11.
The film Cooking History (Jak se vaří dějiny/Ako sa varia dejiny, dir. Peter Kerekes, 2009, SR – Austria – CR) was awarded the FIPRESCI prize at the competition of the 52th International Festival of Documentary and Animated film DOK Lipsko (Germany).
27. 10.
The National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt in Prague hosted the World Day of Audiovisual Heritage 2009. The ceremonial event was commenced by National Film Archive Director Vladimír Opěla. The rich programme featured a screening of soviet director Dziga Vertov’s film Chelovek s kino-apparatom, 1929, a series of film rarities and curiosities in which films by George Méliès, Dave (David) Fleischer, Max Linder and Pierre Etaix were shown. Tomáš Lachman, depute head of written records department, presented the international project European Film Gateway whose aim is to create central access to European Film Heritage that would overcome both language barriers and barriers between the various institutions. A collection of amateur and family films was also shown and head of film historians Jiří Horníček spoke about this theme. Historian and restorer Blažena Urgošíková spoke about the restoration of Karel Anton’s film Gypsies (Cikáni, 1921) whose screening closing the ceremonial programme. An exhibition was installed in Ponrepo’s foyer upon this occasion. It was divided into three thematic parts – The Seventieth anniversary of the film magazine Film Review (Filmový přehled), the Digital Library of the National Film Archive and processes in formatting the fund and Film Posters on the theme “The Golden Sixties”.
27. - 28. 10.
Czech director Karel Vachek presented his films at Harvard University in the USA. The screening was part of a project that promoted Vachek’s work in the USA and which was supported by the State Fund of the Czech Republic for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography. Harvard hosted a screening of his film Záviš, the Prince of Porn Folk under the Influence of Griffith’s Intolerance and Tati’s Mr Hulot’s Holiday, or the Rise and Fall of Czechoslovakia (1918 – 1922) (Záviš, kníže pornofolku pod vlivem Griffithovy Intolerance a Tatiho Prázdnin pana Hulota aneb Vznik a zánik Československa /1918 – 1992/) from 2006 and two older Vachek films Moravian Hellas (Moravská Hellas, 1963) and Elective Affinities (Spřízněni volbou, 1968). On Nov 4 Vachek’s films were screened at Yale University with the director present.
27. 10. - 1. 11.
The 13th International Film Festival of Documentary Films took place in Jihlava (Czech Republic). The main axis of the festival programme consisted of four competitions: Opus bonum for international documentary films that are of a high aesthetic quality and can be considered as a thematic breakthrough, Between Seas that showed the highest quality films from Central and Eastern Europe, Czech Joy which included the latest domestic works and the Fascination section that concentrated on fringe and even hybrid form of documentary film – experimental documentaries. Other programme sections presented current events on the Czech and foreign documentary scene and the section Transparent Beings showed retrospective profiles of major filmmakers. The Jihlava festival is each year accompanied by the largest sections for film professional in Eastern Europe. The Institute for Documentary Film also prepared for this year’s festival the East European Forum, a meeting of Eastern European documentary filmmakers and producers from large European television stations and jointly organized the East Silver – a market for documentary films in Central and Eastern Europe. The awards were announced at the end of the festival: in the category of Czech Joy the following films won: I Love My Boring Life (Mám ráda nudný život, dir. Jan Gogola jr., 2009), a special prize went to Brain Fight (Souboj s mozkem, dir. Jan Šípek, 2009). The Opus Bonum prize for best documentary film for 2009 went to Bassidji (dir. Tamadon Mehran, 2009, Iran – France – Switzerland). The jury gave the award in the category of Between Seas for best Eastern European documentary film of 2009 to the Slovak film Borders (Hranica, dir. Jaroslav Vojtek, 2009), the award of the Fascination section went to Workers Leaving the Factory /Dubai/ (dir. Ben Russell, 2008, USA). The viewers’ choice award went to the creators of the film Auto*mat (dir. Martin Mareček, 2009, CR).
28. 10.
Czech president Václav Klaus bestowed state decorations at Prague Castle’s Vladislav Hall on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the creation of an independent Czechoslovakia. From the area of culture the following artist received medals: For Service of the 1st Order singer Karel Gott – for state service in the area of art, painter Helga Hošková-Weissová, for state service in the area of culture, art and education and singer Eva Pilarová – for state service in the area of art. Medals for Service of the 2nd Order went to Květuše Hyršlová – for state service in the area of culture and Ivan Steiger, Czech draughtsman and caricaturist, film director, producer and writer – for state service in the area of culture.
28. 10.
The 53rd Film Festival in London (14. – 29. 10.) included the premiere of the Czech feature film Protector (Protektor, 2009) by director Marek Najbrt.
29. 10.
In collaboration with the Biennale of Animation Bratislava, Bibiana Bratislava and the Studio of Animated Work Film and TV Faculty The Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts Bratislava (Slovak Republic) a screening of young Slovak animated works (not only for children) was held at the Ponrepo screening hall of the National Film Archive in Bio Konvikt in Prague entitled a Month of Czech and Slovak Cultural Reciprocity. The following films, among others, were screened: Catch him! (Chyťte ho!, dir. Boris Šima, 2008), Pick a Nick (Pik a Nik, dir. Martin Snopek, 2006), Changes (Premeny, dir. Lenka Pajerová-Psenčíková, 2008), Snoopy & Pinky in Action (Čmuchal & sviňa zasahujú, dir. Andrej Kolenčík, 2009) and the film The Four (Štyri, dir. Ivana Šebestová, 2007).
29. 10.
The awards ceremony for the Awards for contribution in the area of cinematography, first bestowed by the Czech Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the World Day of Audiovisual Heritage (27. 10. 2009), was held in the Ponrepo screening hall of the National Film Archive in Bio Konvikt in Prague. The Award went Czech film director Jiří Krejčík.
29. 10. - 6. 11.
The 5th Film Festival Horrorfest was held in Cape Town (South Africa). Juraj Herz’s film T.M.A.(CR – SR) received two awards at the festival. Herz received the award for best director and Jiří Macháně received the award for best camera work.
30. 10.
The International Day of Animated film was honoured in the Ponrepo screening hall of the National Film Archive at Bio Konvikt in Prague with a series of short film commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Iron Curtain. Their common theme was freedom. The following films were screened: A Place in the Sun (O místo na slunci, dir. František Vystrčil, 1959, CSR), The Hand (Ruka, dir. Jiří Trnka, 1965, CSSR), Klatki (Klece, dir. Miroslaw Kijowicz, 1966, Poland), Karol (Pryč s...!, dir. Daniel Szczechura, 1967, Poland), Oko (dir. Juraj Bindzár, 1968, SR), Darwin Anti-Darwin or What the Earthworm Didn’t Suspect (Darwin Antidarwin aneb Co žížala netušila, dir. Břetislav Pojar, 1969, CSSR), Giants (Obři, dir. Gene Deith, 1969, CSSR – USA) and E (dir. Břetislav Pojar, 1981, Canada).
30. 10.
Prague’s Semafor theatre celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first performance with a concert in Smetana Hall in the Municipal House. This anniversary was commemorated by the Czech National Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Libor Pešek. “Accompanying are present and past members of the theatre,” said theatre founder Jiří Suchý. Among them were Jitka Molavcová, Karel Gott, Eva Pilarová, Karel Štědrý, Pavlína Filipovská, Pavel Sedláček, Miluška Voborníková and others. Jiří Šlitr and Waldemar Matuška were also remembered on this occasion. Semafor’s first premier held on 30 October 1959 in a small venue on Prague’s Ve Smečkách street was a musical comedy by Jiří Suchý and Jiří Šlitr entitled The Man from the Attic (Člověk z půdy). Miroslav Horníček and Miloš Kopecký alternated in the leading role, the latter eventually replaced by František Filipovský. The play had a run of 228 show and Semafor began its era with it. A series entitled It Ran Away Like Water (Uteklo to jako H2O ) composed of the best scenes from the history of this theatre will have its premiere.
30. 10. - 15. 11.
The 11th Day of Czech and German Culture in Dresden (Germany)/Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic) and the Elbe/Labe Euro-region was held. This cross-border festival allows for the exchange of culture between organizers, artists and the public on both sides of the Czech-German border. The diverse programme offered viewers, among other things, select films from the The 5th International Festival of Films by Women about Women – Femina Film 2009 as well as the programme Film and Speech: Oktoberfilm. On November 5th the Motorenhalle in Dresden screened a series of six animated films entitled The Freedom of Animation that commemorated the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which resulted fundamental changes in the political and social development of Europe and Czechoslovakia at that time. The programme featured Czech films that were subject to censorship in various ways: The Hand (Ruka, dir. Jiří Trnka, 1965), Dimensions of Dialogue (Možnosti dialogu, dir. Jan Švankmajer, 1982), Homunkulus (dir. Václav Mergl, 1984), an abridged, censored version of the film What Do You Think, Mr. Baron (Co vy na to, pane barone?, dir. Ilja Novák, 1984), and its original version, as well as the films Catastrophe (Katastrofy, dir. Pavel Koutský, 1984) and Dilemma (Dilema, dir. Pavel Koutský, 1985).
31. 10.
Ponrepo, the archive screening hall of the National Film Archive at Bio Konvikt in Prague, hosted a screening of the documentary film Life and Film: The Labyrinthine Biographies of Vojtěch Jasný (Život a film – Labyrintové životopisy Vojtěcha Jasného, dir. Arkaitz Basterra Zalbide, 2009, CR – Spain) with the participation of Vojtěch Jasný and film director Arkaitz Basterra Zalbide.