I. A Calendar»
January
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October
November
December
1. 11.
Two films from a screening organized in honour of Spanish director Basilio Martín Patino were shown on the occasion of the 15th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival (15. mezinárodní festival dokumentárních filmů) (25. – 30. 11.) with the director in attendance at the National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague. The films were Canciones para después de una guerra (1976) and Caudillo (1977). Basilio Martín Patino, who was the Jihlava festiva’s main guest, studied philosophy and quickly made a name for himself as a gifted writer. An important moment for him was his founding of the Film Club in 1953 at the University of Salamanca together with Joaquín de Prada, where he became editor of Cinema Universitario magazine. He was an active participant and organizer of the ‘Salamanco discussions’ (1955). He then moved to Madrid where he studied at the IIEC film school. In 1966, he debuted with the feature film Nueve cartas a Berta, which was also released in Czechoslovak distribution as a new Spanish film.
1. - 6. 11.
The 21st International Film Festival focused on Eastern European took place in the German city of Cottbus. The Czech-Slovak film Identity Card (Občanský průkaz/Občiansky preukaz, 2010) by director Ondřej Trojan was included in the category of feature films, one of three competition categories. The East-West Co-production Market – Connecting Cottbus was also held for the twelfth time for two days (3. – 4. 11.) in conjunction with the festival. This market enabled film producers to present their new feature-length co-production projects in their unfinished state to potential foreign partners. The international jury this year chose 13 projects from 11 countries from 113 entries. Two prepared films were chosen from the Czech Republic: To the Sea (K moři) by director Karin Babinská, presented by producer Pavel Berčík from Evolution Films, s. r. o. and the project Lost in Munich (Ztraceni v Mnichově) by director Petr Zelenka, presented by Pavel Čechák, a producer from Dog day productions s.r.o. Zelenka’s project received the CoCo Best Pitch Award. Connecting Cottbus was accompanied by live panel discussions, workshops and lectures on current themes of the west – and east-European film industry.
1. 11. 2011 - 10. 1. 2012
presented the Film Haberdashery Terry’s Socks in Prague the work of Frantiszek Starowieyski (8. 7. 1930 – 23. 2. 2009), one of the most famous and original Polish graphic designers whose works rank among the absolute best in Polish poster design. The exhibition of sixty posters entitled The Surreal World in the Film Posters of Frantiszek Starowieyski was installed in the foyer of the Světozor cinema in Prague.
2. – 8., 10. – 16., 14. – 17., 22. – 26. and 25. – 29. 11.
The 12th Mezipatra Queer Film Festival (12. queer filmový festival MEZIPATRA) was held in Brno (2. – 8. 11.) and in Prague (10. – 16. 11.). The festival films with homosexual and lesbian themes were also screened at Ostrava (14. – 17. 11.), Plzeň (22. – 26. 11.) and Olomouc (25. – 29. 11.). In both main cities of the event, in Brno and Prague, the festival opened with the film Velvet Goldmine from 1998 (Great Britain – USA) by Todd Haynes which was a guest of festival. The main jury, which included Czech sociologist Jiřina Šiklová, awarded the prize of best feature film to Trigger (dir. Bruce McDonald, Canada, 2010).
2., 4. , 7., 9., 14., 16., 21., 23., 28. and 30. 11.
Under the title René Clair – Primus movens, the National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague presented some of the films of classic French cinematographer René Clair (real name René-Lucien Chomette, 11. 11. 1898 – 15. 3. 1981). Chosen as part of the programme were the films Entr’acte (1924), Un chapeau de paille d’Italie (1927), Le silence est d’or (1947), Les belles de nuit (1952), Les grandes manoeuvres (1955) and Porte des Lilas (1957).
3. - 6. 11.
A premiere screening of five select films from the 15th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival (15. mezinárodní festival dokumentárních filmů) was held at Atlas cinema and in other Prague cinema. The screening is the result of collaboration of the company Verbascum Imago, s.r.o., the 15th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival (15. mezinárodní festival dokumentárních filmů) and HBO Česká republika, spol. s r. o. Czech documentary films from 2011 were included in the programme EM & I (EM a ON, dir. Vladimír Michálek), Solar Eclipse (Pod sluncem tma, dir. Martin Mareček), A Catapult of Fate (Rock života, dir. Jan Gogola ml.), On the Outside (Venku, dir. Veronika Sobková) and Race to the Bottom (Závod ke dnu, dir. Vít Janeček). The joint-distribution and promotional project was supported by the State Fund of the CR for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography (Státní fond České republiky pro podporu a rozvoj české kinematografie). It also include the conversion of films to the DCP – Digital Cinema Package – format that serves to transfer a film from the distributor to the cinema projector and is secured in such a way that it is impossible to play on equipment other than that it was designed for. These films can then be screened in digitised cinemas. The films were also offered on DVD and Blue-ray discs for other cinemas or DVD clubs, schools and other such facilities.
3. - 6. 11.
The festival Contemporary Film Works of Central Europe (14. přehlídka Současná filmová tvorba – střední Evropa) was held at the Hungarian Cultural Center. Czech work was represented in the selection of Czech, Polish and Hungarian Films from 2007 – 2011 by the films Long Live the Family! (Rodina je základ státu, dir. Robert Sedláček, 2011), Nothing against Nothing (Nic proti ničemu, dir. Petr Marek, 2011), the co-production Czech-Slovak film Gypsy (Cigán, dir. Martin Šulík, 2011) and a ninety-minute screening of films shot by FAMU students.
3., 7., 9., 14., 21., 25. and 30. 11.
A cycle of select films by Czech director Otakar Vávra (28. 2. 1911 – 15. 9. 2011) entitled Otakar Vávra – The Light Penetrates the Dark was screened at the National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague. The programme featured the films A Philosophical Story (Filosofská historie), Virginity (Panenství), both 1937, Girl in Blue (Dívka v modrém), Humoresque (Humoreska), The Magic House (Kouzelný dům), all 1939, The Thirteenth Chamber (Třináctá komnata, 1968) and a group of short films from 1930 – 1970 entitled The Light Penetrates the Dark (Světlo proniká tmou).
4. - 9. 11.
The 13th International Film Festival was held in Bratislava (Slovakia). The best actor award went to Czech actor Ivan Trojan for his role in the Slovak film Viditeľný svet (dir. Peter Krištúfek, 2011). Other Czech artists awarded included Zdeněk Svěrák and Jan Svěrák, who received the Bratislava IFF award for artistic achievement in world cinematography. The Unicredit Bank viewers’ choice award went to, among other films, the Slovak-Czech film The House (Dům/Dom) by Slovak director Zuzana Liová from 2011.
4. - 14. 11.
The Czech film Eighty Letters (Osmdesát dopisů, 2011) by Václav Kadrnka was entered in the main section competition of the International Film Festival in Thessaloniki (Greece).
6. - 9. 11.
The 4th International Film Festival for Children and Youth JUNIORFEST 2011 (4. mezinárodní filmový festival Juniorfest) was held at the Horšovský Týn Czech castle and chateau and at the Cinestar multiplex in OC Olympia Plzeň-Černice (Czech Republic). The festival featured a number of films concerning the given theme; one of the Czech films was the most recent film Saxana (Saxána a Lexikon kouzel, dir. Václav Vorlíček, 2011) with the personal attendance of the director and one of the child actors in the film, Helena Nováčková. The eighty-year anniversary of the Barrandov film studio was commemorated by the screening of two films for children and youth On the Right Track (Na dobré stopě, dir. Josef Mach, 1948), Grandpa, Kylian and I (Dědeček, Kylián a já, dir. Jiří Hanibal, 1967) and Martin and the Red Glass (Martin a červené sklíčko, dir. Martin Vošmik, 1966). Several filmmakers and actors were present at the festival, including Gojko Mitić, a leading actor in films of the 1960s and 70s with Indian themes. The film Die Söhne der großen Bärin (dir. Josef Mach, 1966, Germany) was screened in his honour. For awarded filmmakers and films see 4. mezinárodní filmový festival Juniorfest.
7. - 12. 11.
The 5th International Festival of Student Films – OSTRAVA PICTURE (5. mezinárodní festival studentských filmů – OSTRAVA PICTURE) took place in city of Ostrava (Czech Republic). On 6. 11., the evening before the festival opened, nominated films were screened in Žilina (Slovak Republic). Then on 8. 11. and 12. 11. audiences were presented films in the Polish town of Jelenia Góra. Student films from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland vied in five categories: 1. auteur film, 2. documentary, 3. video clips, 4. experimental and 5. film from regions/on the edge (local for the Ostrava region, Jelenia Góra and Žilina). Their quality was judged by an international professional jury that presented the results of its decisions to audiences and filmmakers at the public seminary that concluded the various screening days. Fifth festival as a previous years opened with a week-long workshop in which a small group of filmmakers (students) made a short film on the streets of Ostrava. This was a realisation of the screenplay by architecture student Kateřina Šlapáková whose story entitled Apple (Jablko) received the jury’s highest praise. A five-member team was assembled and received the necessary technology and equipment to create the film in the streets of Ostrava during this week. For awarded films and filmmakers – see 5. mezinárodní festival studentských filmů – OSTRAVA PICTURE.
9. 11.
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Czech poet and writer Karel Jaromír Erben (7. 11. 1811 – 21. 11. 1870), the National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague hosted a screening of a group of films entitled A Bouquet for Karel Jaromír Erben that were made based on poems from his famous collection Kytice (Bouquet) and based on fairy tales, of which Karel Jaromír Erben was a collector. The films included The Little Dove (Holoubek, dir. Ludvík Kadleček, 1981), two film versions of The Wedding Shirt (Svatební košile, dir. Theodor Pištěk st., 1925 and Josef Kábrt, 1978), The Water-Sprite (Vodník, dir. Václav Sklenář, 1955), About a Cock and a Hen (O kohoutku a slepičce, dir. Zdeněk Miler, 1953), Tall, Broad and Sharp-Eyes-Sighted (Dlouhý, Široký a Bystrozraký, dir. Miroslav Cikán, 1942) and Cup, Boil! (Hrnečku, vař!, dir. Václav Bedřich, 1953).
10. 11.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in London hosted a gala-premiere of the Slovak-Czech feature documentary film Nicky’s Family (Nickyho rodina, dir. Matej Mináč, 2011).
10. 11.
The ceremonial premiere of the film In Sight (Nadohled, 2010), a film essay on classical and postmodern mechanisms that FAMU (Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze) student Andrea Slováková shot as her graduate film, was held at Bio Oko cinema in Prague.
10. - 12. 11.
Ústí nad Orlicí (Czech Republic) hosted NADOTEK – The 11th Festival of Documentary Films on Social Issues – Within Reach (11. festival dokumentární tvorby se sociální tematikou – NADOTEK). For awarded films see 11. festival dokumentární tvorby se sociální tematikou – NADOTEK.
10. - 30. 11.
The National Film Archive in Prague (Národní filmový archiv) sent films based on the works of Czech writers to the 15th festival of Czech films based on literary works – Made in Prague Festival in London. The films included Marijka the Unfaithful (Marijka nevěrnice) from 1934 set in Carpathian Ruthenia, which is the work of three writers (story by Ivan Olbracht, screenplay by Karel Nový, directed by Vladislav Vančura), A Song of Carpathian Ruthenia (Píseň o Podkarpatské Rusi, 1937) shot by Jiří Weiss based on the story and screenplay of K. M. Walló, Stick, Stick, Start Beating! (Obušku, z pytle ven!, dir. Jaromír Pleskot, 1955) based on the work of Karel Jaromír Erben, The Good Soldier Švejk (Dobrý voják Švejk, dir. Karel Steklý, 1956) based on the novel by Jaroslav Hašek, Nobody Gets the Last Laugh (Nikdo se nebude smát, dir. Hynek Bočan, 1965) based on a work by Milan Kundera, A Dull Afternoon (Fádní odpoledne, dir. Ivan Passer, 1964) and Cruelties of Life (Sběrné surovosti, dir. Juraj Herz, 1965) based on the stories of Bohumil Hrabal, The Cremator (Spalovač mrtvol, dir. Juraj Herz, 1968) based on the novel by Ladislav Fuks and Capricious Summer (Rozmarné léto, dir. Jiří Menzel, 1967) based on the work of Vladislav Vančura.
11. 11.
The Czech Minister of Culture Jiří Besser dismissed Vladimír Opěla from the directorship of the National Film Archive (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague. František Mikeš, first deputy to the Czech Minister of Culture, was entrusted with overseeing the hiring of a new director from the results of the selection proceedings. Vladimír Opěla became a collections curator for the National Film Archive (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague.
11. 11.
The Bio Oko cinema in Prague hosted the ceremonial premiere of the Czech documentary film Trafacka: Temple of Freedom (Trafačka: Chrám svobody) shot by Saša Dlouhý and Roman Vávra in 2011.
11. - 13. 11.
The Municipal Culture Centre – Film Club in Veselí nad Moravou (CR) organized the 18th Russian Film Seminar (18. seminář ruských filmů) focussed on the fateful years of 1921, when the Bolshevists consolidated their power, 1941, when, after being attacked by Germany, the Soviet Union entered World War II, and 1986, when Mikhail Gorbachev, upon assuming the post of general secretary of the communist party of the USSR commenced Perestroika. Thirteen selected films were screened, including the works of renowned directors such as Tengiz Abuladze, Gleb Panfilov, Sergei Solovyov, Eldar Ryazanov and Karen Shakhnazarov, who in various ways addressed these historical milestones. Archive films were lent by the National Film Archive (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague and the Slovak Film Institute. The seminary was held in the Morava cinema in Veselí nad Moravou for the last time. In 2012 it will be held in the Svět cinema in Hodonín (Czech Republic).
11. - 13. 11.
The 6th Normal Festival (6. normální festival) subtitled Afflicted with Art and the motto: … There’s Always Something to Conquer! took place in Prague. The festival was devoted to the lives and artwork of people with mental disabilities. The festival was linked to a two-day international conference We Are Conquering the Public Space, during which over 40 organizations from all over the world focussing on the creative work of these people were presented in Prague. The film part of the 6th Normal Festival (6. normální festival) opened with the documentary film Earthlings, Who Are You Voting For? (Pozemšťané, koho budete volit?, 2010), which received the viewer’s prize at the 14th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival 2010 and the Pavel Koutecký Award 2011 (5. ceny Pavla Kouteckého). This film was created in the documentary workshop o. s. Inventura led by director Linda Jablonská and showed that even people with mentally disabilities can be well informed in public matters and have a political view. The festival’s programme featured a number of foreign films such as an audiovisual work of the organization Work and Play (Great Britain), music clips by artists from Barner 16 (Germany), engaged videos from the Wild@heART workshop (Australia) and animation and clips from TV Glad (Denmark), whose staff filmed all the events during the 6th Normal Festival (6. normální festival) and previous conference. Film screenings were held at the Aero cinema and theatre performances at the Alfréd ve dvoře venue in Prague 7.
11. - 13. 11.
The laureates of the Czech Society for Film Studies (CEFS, Česká společnost pro filmová studia) over the years 2009 – 2011 were announced for outstanding achievements in film science and practice. The civic association Czech Society for Film Studies (started their activities in February 2011. Founding organizations are departments of film and audio-visual studies in the Czech Republic (in Prague – The Faculty of a Arts of Charles University/Univerzita Karlova v Praze - Filozofická fakulta, Brno – Faculty of Arts of Masaryk University/Masarykova univerzita - Filozofická fakulta and Olomouc – Philosophical Faculty of Palacký University/Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci - Filozofická fakulta), the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague/Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze and the National Film Archive/Národní filmový archiv. Awards called the Illumination of the Year were handed over to the winners at the international conference Screen Industries in East-Central Europe organized by the CEFS (Česká společnost pro filmová studia in Brno. For awards to laureats see – 1. ceny Iluminace roku za vynikající výsledky ve filmové vědě a praxi.
11., 22., 24. and 28. 11.
The National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague screened films by Czech director Evald Schorm (15. 12. 1931 – 14. 12. 1988): Courage for Every Day (Každý den odvahu, 1964), The Return of the Prodigal Son (Návrat ztraceného syna, 1966), The Seventh Day, the Eighth Night (Den sedmý, osmá noc, 1969) and the short films Heritage (Odkaz, 1965), Confusion (Zmatek, 1969), Conversations (Rozhovory, 1969) and From My Life (Z mého života, 1971). The cycle entitled Evald Schorm – The Conscience of Modern Times was organized upon the occasion of the eightieth anniversary of the deceased director’s birth.
12. - 20. 11.
The Autumn Harvest ANIMÁNIE 2011 – The 6th Annual Festival of Not Only Animated Films was held in Plzeň (Czech Republic). Czech and foreign animated films were shown in the screening rooms of the Měšťanská beseda and Anděl Music Club; in the ZUŠ Sokolovská studios both children and adults were let in on the secrets of animation in animation workshops and jurors judged the National Competition Screening of animated films created by filmmakers younger than 26 years of age. The traditional part of the festival – the Echoes of ANIFEST 2011 – The 10th International Festival of Animated Films (ANIFEST 2011 – 10. mezinárodní festival animovaných filmů) – offered films of the New Wave of Czech animation and contemporary German animation (Germania block), a group of films inspired by comics, Phil Mulloy’s controversial feature film Goodbye Mister Christie (2010, Great Britain), a selection from the history of Latvian animation, contemporary French animation and a selection of animated video clips entitled Animatica muzica. An extensive exhibition entitled On the Road to Animation, in which ANIFEST 2011 – The 10th International Festival of Animated Films (ANIFEST 2011 – 10. mezinárodní festival animovaných filmů) took part, was installed in the West Bohemian Museum in Plzeň. The Animánie Project was organized by the Regional Centre of Elementary Work Ocet, o. p. s., which has been acquainting young viewers in particular with the possibilities of animation for six years now.
14. - 16. 11.
The TIC – Tourist Information Center of Brno – hosted in its Břetislav Bakala Hall the 7th Festival of Films with Environmental Themes – EkoBiograf 2011 (7. přehlídka filmů s environmentální tematikou EkoBiograf 2011. The screened films were divided into three blocks with various environmental themes – The Ways of Food, Eco-Living and Harmless Varmint. Viewers saw from this non-competition screening the Czech films Experiment Z (2009) by director Linda Jablonská, The Hospital at the End of the World (Nemocnice na konci světa) by director Otakar Štěrba (2008), the documentary Tomato on the Road (Rajče na cestě, 2011) shot by Zuzana Dubová and Jitka Stropková’s film Back Under the Thatched Roof (Zpátky pod došky, 2005), among others. Some screenings were supplemented by discussions with interesting guests. The festival programme also featured other discussions, a lecture with a bug tasting, a concert, a book sale, the presentation of non-profit organizations, etc.
15. 11.
The ceremonial premiere of the Czech film for television Micimutr (dir. Vít Karas, 2011) took place at the CineStar Anděl multiplex in Prague.
16. 11.
Jerzy Buzek, chairman of the European Parliament, announced at a ceremonial session in Strasbourg France the LUX Prize 2011 that went to the film Les neiges du Kilimandjaro (dir. Robert Guédiguian, 2011, France). The LUX Prize is presented each year by the European Parliament to films that illustrate or deal with the fundamental values of European identity, probe the cultural diversity of Europe or provide a view of Europe’s building process. The winning film received financial support in the amount of EUR 90,000 for subtitling in all 23 official languages of the European Union, adaptation for the blind and hearing-impaired and 35mm production or a digital copy for each member state.
16. - 22. 11.
A screening of the European film MUCES took place in Segovia (Spain). Two Czech films were screened: Leaving (Odcházení, dir. Václav Havel, 2011) and Identity Card (Občanský průkaz/Občiansky preukaz, dir. Ondřej Trojan, 2010, CR – SR).
16. - 30. 11.
Five films of contemporary Czech cinematography were shown at the 15th International Black Nights Film Festival held in Tallinn, Estonia, the largest film festival in the Baltic states. They were presented in three non-competition sections. The Panorama section presented predominantly films awarded in 2011 and the section offered a glimpse of contemporary film trends and tendencies. Czech films offered to viewers were Alois Nebel (2011, CR – Germany – SR) by director Tomáš Luňák, Gypsy (Cigán, 2011, SR – CR) by Martin Šulík and Identity Card (Občanský průkaz/Občiansky preukaz, 2010, CR – SR) by Ondřej Trojan. The Forum section included among the 37 films the Slovak-Czech film The House (Dům/Dom, 2011) by director Zuzana Liová and the section 15 Selected Titles featured the screening of films by directors whose films had been shown at least twice in the past in Tallin.
20. - 24. 11.
The Czech film Eighty Letters (Osmdesát dopisů, 2011) by Václav Kadrnka represented Czech cinematography in the International Film Festival competition in the Spanish city of Gijón. Director Václav Kadrnka personally attended the screening of his film.
20. - 27. 11.
The French town of Aubenas hosted the 13th European Film Meeting that five Czech animated filmmakers took part in – Michal Žabka, Aneta Žabková, Lucie Sunková, Libor Pixa and Jaromír Plachý, who accompanied the presentation of several films from the projects A New Wave of Czech Animation and Year Zero, put together by dramaturges of the Czech festival AniFest. The selection represented the rise of a new generation of animated filmmakers studying between the years 2000 – 2010. Viewers were treated to Michal Žabka’s Ms G (Paní G., 2007), Aneta Žabková’s cartoon slapstick Whoops, Mistake! (Chybička se vloudí, 2008), the animated painting Geraniums by Lucie Sunková (Pelargónie, 2005) based on Jiří Suchý’s story and Libor Pixa’s combined film Graffitiger (2010) that was nominated for a student Oscar. Not only did the festival offer this retrospective programme, it also prepared a presentation for Czech filmmakers and a meeting with the audience. Czech animators demonstrated their techniques and work methods at the festival and also on the radio, in the daily press and in France 3 TV coverage. They also met with their colleagues from the Folimage studio.
21. - 27. 11.
The 36th International Festival of Films and Video Based on Ecological Themes It’s Up to You, Too – TSTT (36. mezinárodní festival filmů a videoprogramů s ekologickou tematikou Týká se to také tebe – TSTTT) was held in Uherské Hradiště and Uherský Brod (Czech Republic). This thematic international festival of films and video programmes draws the public’s attention to film and television works predominantly addressing ecological aspects of human existence in today’s world. But it’s not only focussed on the screening and judging of competition films; it also features an accompanying expert and socio-cultural programme – screenings, lectures, seminars, conferences, exhibitions and art programmes. The festival began with the amateur enthusiasm of individual, gradually opened to professional filmmakers, and became international. With a nod to its traditional roots, the festival has preserved its amateur film competition category. For the filmmakers and films see 36. mezinárodní festival filmů a videoprogramů s ekologickou tematikou Týká se to také tebe – TSTTT.
23. 11.
The ceremonial premiere of the Czech feature film Vendetta (Vendeta, dir. Miroslav Ondruš, 2011) was held at the Lucerna and Světozor cinemas in Prague.
23. 11.
The European Commission presented details on the new programme Creative Europe that is replacing in 2014 – 2020 the current MEDIA and Culture programmes. With a proposed budget of EUR 1.8 billion for the aforementioned period (increased by 37% over the preceding period) it will present the necessary support of cultural and artistic sectors, which are an important source of jobs and growth in Europe. As part of the new programme there will be over 900 million EUROS earmarked for the support of cinematography and the audiovisual sector (which the current MEDIA programme applies to) and nearly 500 million EUROS for the area of culture.
24. 11.
In conjunction with the Trust for Mutual Understanding, the National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague presented the American film A Darkness Swallowed (2006). The film was shot by Betzy Bromberg who, as a cinematographer specialised in creating special effect and optical tricks worked on a number of successful Hollywood films, such as Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula (1992, USA). She is currently director of the program in Film and Video California Institute of the Arts. The introspective film shown at Ponrepo, which the director personally introduced, speaks of the beginnings before birth, of organic transformations and a return to roots.
24. - 27. 11.
The 6th Minority Film Festival – supporting harmony and tolerance between the national majority and national minorities through the language of film – was held in Trenčín (Slovak Republic). This time the screening focused on the Czech minority living in Slovakia. The city of Trenčín was chosen intentionally since some 10,000 Czechs, the most in Slovakia, live here. In contrast to other minorities living in Slovakia, Czechs didn’t become a national minority until 1993 with the division at this time of Czechoslovakia. The festival was held at the Max entertainment-commercial center, where there were screened 13 feature and documentary films. The festival opened with a screening of the animated film Alois Nebel (dir. Tomáš Luňák, 2011, CR – SR – Germany) and closed with Slovak director Martin Šulík’s feature film Gypsy (Cigán, 2011, CR – SR). The festival also included a round-table discussion on the theme of Czechs and Slovaks – from 28 October 1918 to the present.
24. - 30. 11.
The 14th French Film Festival (14. festival francouzského filmu) was held in the Světozor, Lucerna, CineStar Anděl cinemas and at the French Institute in Prague. The screening of French films was also offered to viewers in Brno, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové, Olomouc, Ostrava, Pardubice and Plzeň, all Czech Republic. The screening of nine pre-premiere French films and competition – a selection by Czech critics. The Arte selection offered another three films. Ten films made between 1969 – 2011 were screened in the section entitled Film Hits. These included films by Luc Besson, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Lars von Trier, Wim Wenders and other filmmakers. Vying for the prize for best film were, among others, the films Le Havre (2010, Finland – France – Germany) by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki and The Beloved (Milovaní/Les bien-aimés, dir. Christophe Honoré, 2011, France – Great Britain – CR). Also screened was the Spanish-French film Balada triste (2010) by director Alex de la Iglesia, who in the same year also received the award from the Venice International Film Festival for best screenplay. The festival was ceremoniously opened on 24. 11. at Lucerna cinema with the film The Beloved Milovaní/Les bien-aimés. On 26. 11. a special screening was made of La Guerre est déclarée (dir. Valérie Donzelli, 2010, France), representing French cinematography at the Oscar awards ceremony of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The programme also featured an Evening of Short Films and the screening of two films with French actor Jean Marais (real name Jean Alfred Villain-Marais, 11. 12. 1913 – 8. 11. 1998). The films were Orphée (dir. Jean Cocteau, 1950, France) and L’Éternel Retour (dir. Jean Delannoy, 1943, France). Several French artists visited the Czech Republic for the festival: director Anne Villacèque presented two screenings of her film E-Love (2011, France) as part of the Selection section. Director and screenwriter Julien Leclercq presented in Prague as a Czech pre-premiere his new feature-length film L’Assaut (2010, France). Directing and acting duo Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel presented their film burlesque La Fée (2011, Belgium – France). At the festival’s close, director Bertrand Bonello opened the Evening of Short Film that included his film Cindy, the Doll Is Mine from 2005, and also the Czech pre-premiere of the feature-length film L‘Apollonide, souvenirs de la maison Close (2011, France), which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2011. The viewers choice award for the section Competition – Czech critics’ choice went to the feature film Le Chat du Rabbin (2011) by directors Joann Sfara and Antoine Delesvaux. The accompanying programme offered in the Lucerna passage the free-admission exhibition Plantu Draws the World, devoted to Plantu, the French caricaturist for the daily Le Monde. In all eight cities the festival was visited by a total of 18,079 viewers, which is seven percent more than in previous years.
25. 11.
The National Theatre’s Nová Scéna in Prague held a panel discussion on the theme Audiovisual Production and Distribution in the Digital Era: Changes in the current business models. The organizers were the MEDIA Desk Czech Republic, Screenleaders EU and The 28th Festival of Student Films – FAMUFEST Weightlessness (28. festival studentských filmů – FAMUFEST Beztíže). Thanks to the collaboration with FAS Training Ireland, leading experts in the field attended and a programme reacting to the specifics of a small and linguistically limited market was prepared.
25. 11.
The 8th annual Competition of Auteur Short Films (Aerokraťas – 8. soutěž autorských krátkých filmů) was held at Aero cinema. The jury consisted of actress Simona Babčáková, director Radim Špaček and film critic Šimon Šafránek. Awards see Aerokraťas – 8. soutěž autorských krátkých filmů.
25. - 27. 11.
MOVIeNG MUSIC 2011 – the 1st International Festival of Film Music (MOVIeNG MUSIC 2011 – 1. mezinárodní festival filmové hudby) was held in Czech city Kroměříž. The first annual year opened the tradition of dramaturgy, indicating that it will focus in later years exclusively on the art of film music. The first year offered four cycles: silent films accompanied by live music, famous figures of film music – in honour of the famous Italian composer Nino Rota (3. 12. 1911 – 10. 4. 1979) in connection with the hundredth anniversary of his birth that took place in 2011; in honour of Czech music composer Jan Klusák, also a cycle of non-verbal films that included, for instance, the film Powaqqatsi (dir. Godfrey Reggio, 1988, USA) with the music of Philip Glass; a cycle drawing attention to the tradition of Polish film music offering a musical portrait of Michal Łorenc with his personal attendance. The Czech premiere of the film Jan Pawel II: Szukalem was... (dir. Jarosław Szmidt, 2011, Poland) was held on this occasion. This film about the most important figure of Polish modern-age history is considered the most expensive Polish documentary, featuring appearances by Placido Domingo, former Italian president Francesco Cossiga and the Dalai Lama, among others.
25. - 27. 11.
The 28th Festival of Student Films – FAMUFEST Weightlessness (28. festival studentských filmů – FAMUFEST Beztíže) was held in Prague. This year’s festival brought two novelties. The festival became a non-competitive one and took place at the National Theatre’s Nová scéna venue where the festival spaces were conceived as a spaceship. But the student films were judged. A committee of 15 arbiters, including film directors such as Robert Sedláček and Julius Ševčík, artists and music composers such as Jaromír 99, Jan P. Muchow, Vladimír Franz, editor-in-chief of the weekly Respekt Erik Tabery, film teacher Milica Pechánková and actress Petra Špalková replaced the jury. The festival offered 101 films from the production of all departments of the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze).
29. 11.
The documentary film The Tripoint (Trojmezí, 2011, CR) by director Klára Řezníčková was launched into Czech distribution.
30. 11.
The Cinestar Anděl cinema in Prague held the ceremonial premiere of the Czech feature film Edgemen (Hranaři, dir. Tomáš Zelenka, 2011).
30. 11. - 2. 12.
Under the auspices of the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze) there was held an International Conference of Film schools organized by CILECT (Centre International de Liaison des Ecoles de Cinéma et de Télévision) that associates major film schools around the world. Over a hundred and thirty participants from over fifty countries attended this first-ever conference. The conference, featuring many panel discussions and screenings of films and called the Future of Film and Media Education, was held at FAMU (Filmová a televizní fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze), at the National Film Archive’s Ponrepo screening hall at Bio Konvikt (Národní filmový archiv) in Prague and at the Municipal Library in Prague (MĚSTSKÁ KNIHOVNA V PRAZE).