Films 2022
SERVANTS / Služobníci
2020 SK | Drama | 88 min
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
Awards: Best Direction / Best Original Score at Festival International de Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Festivals: Berlinale, Festival International de Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Ghent IFF, Odesa IFF, Valladolid IFF
The year is 1980, twelve years since the 'Prague Spring' and nine years before the Iron Curtain that divided Europe was crushed down by history. Michal and Juraj are two students of the Faculty of Theology in totalitarian Czechoslovakia. Their teachers, out of fear of cancelling the seminary, educate theologians in a form that suits the Communist Party. Juraj and Michal are thus cast straight into a high-stakes moral battle between church and state — in which sides must be chosen, with severe consequences for body and soul alike. With both being strong believers, adherence to the communists is tough, especially when Catholicism teaches them that they should only listen to the word of God.
Servants offers both a fascinating insight into the conflicts of the era while managing to bring out the universal struggle between doing what’s right and what’s comfortable.
SHORT FILM: Fibonacci / Fibonacci |2020 CZ | Fiction / Experimental | 8 min
ENJOY A FREE BECHEROVKA COCKTAIL ON ARRIVAL
WED 30/03/22 7PM
DIRECTOR Ivan Ostrochovský
LANGUAGE Slovak | English Subtitles
English subtitles
AGE 15+
CAST Samuel Skyva,
Samuel Polakovič,
Vlad Ivanov,
Vladimír Strnisko,
Milan Mikulčík,
Tomáš Turek,
Vladimír Zboroň…
EMMA IN LOVE / Chyby
2021 CZ | Romance | 99 min
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
Everyone makes mistakes sometimes and Emma knows this better than anyone. She is a passionate, energetic 25-year-old saleswoman in a supermarket in a small town while Tomáš is an impulsive but introverted 30-year-old roofer living in a nearby village. One night, from which neither of them expected anything significant, quickly grows into a relationship, love and living together. What initially resembles fairy tale soon turns into nightmare after a chance encounter with Emma’s pornographic past inevitably catches up with them and starts a series of events that turn the lives of the two lovers upside down.
Taking place in Příbram, Beroun and their surroundings, this story of coming to terms with one’s past and forgiveness brings a different view on what love is and what it means to some of us.
SHORT FILM: Donna Bella / Donna Bella | 2021 SK | Animation | 2:56 min
THU 31/03/22 7PM
DIRECTOR Jan Prušinovský
LANGUAGE Czech | English Subtitles
English subtitles
AGE 18+
CAST Pavla Gajdošíková,
Jan Jankovský,
Ondřej Kokorský,
Ivo Gogál,
Jan Kolařík,
Eva Hacurová,
Marta Dancingerová,
Slávek Bílský,
Monika Načeva
CAUGHT IN THE NET / V Síti
2020 CZ/SK | Documentary | 100 min
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
Awards: Audience Award / Best Documentary at Czech Lions, Best IT Documentary Audience Award at Moscow IDFF
FESTIVALS: Moscow IDFF, Vancouver IFF, Festival du Nouveau Cinéma Montreal, Tallinn FF
Three actresses, three children’s rooms, 10 days and 2,458 sexual predators. An experiment that shines an urgent light on the taboo subject of the abuse of children on the internet and what the children aged ten to fourteen years face in virtual space. Three over-18 actresses with very young appearances are tasked with pretending they are 12 years old on fake social network profiles.
The documentary delivers the gripping drama of the protagonists playing “12-year-old girls” from casting to face-to-face meetings with predators watched by security and hidden cameras. Sometimes difficult to watch, Caught in the Net is taut, compelling and a stark warning for parents of both girls and boys & guardians worldwide.
SHORT FILM: rauu / rauu | 2021 SK | Animation | 4:51 min
FRI 1/04/22 6:30PM
DIRECTOR Barbora Chalupová & Vít Klusák
LANGUAGE Czech | English Subtitles
AGE 18+
CAST Tereza Těžká
Anežka Pithartová
Sabina Dlouhá
BIRD ATLAS / Atlas ptáků
2021 CZ/SI/SK | Drama | 92 min
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
Festivals: Karlovy Vary IFF, Cottbus FF
A huge money embezzlement in a multi-million company creates a domino effect of suspicion between the members of the family who run the business. Ivo Rona, a long-time CEO, has dedicated his whole life to work, so it comes as a big blow when things suddenly start to fall apart at the seams. It is when Marie, one of his most trusted employees, goes missing that Ivo and his family start looking for the one to blame... A revenge plan, a corporate sabotage or well-played internet fraud? One thing is certain: someone among them can’t be trusted. Believing he can solve the crime better and quicker than Police, Ivo embarks on a journey that will lead him to discover unexpected truths about his employees as well as his adult children.
The film intertwines complicated family relationships with the world of modern communication technologies, which can take advantage of our weaknesses.
SHORT FILM: Old Gramophone’s Ghostly Tones / Hrůza v tónu gramofónu | 2021 CZ | Animation | 9 min
FRI 1/04/22 9PM
DIRECTOR Olmo Omerzu LANGUAGE Czech | English Subtitles
AGE 15+
CAST Miroslav Donutil
Alena Mihulová
Martin Pechlát,
Eliška Křenková
Vojtěch Kotek,
Pavla Beretová
EVEN MICE BELONG IN HEAVEN / Myši patří do nebe
2021 CZ/FR/PL/SK | Children & Family / Animation | 87 min
Awards: Best Animation Film at Shanghai IFF, Jury Special Mention / Audience Award at Anifilm IFAF
Festivals: Annecy Animation FF, Shanghai IFF, Brussels IFF, Edinburgh IFF, Rome IFF, Sydney FF, KVIFF, Anifilm IFAF
Almost ten years in the making, this highly original puppet film will enchant young and adult viewers alike with its poignant twisty tale filled with emotion, its beguiling artistic design, and its precise animation.
Following an unfortunate accident, a feisty little mouse and a shy young fox cub unwittingly find themselves in animal heaven. In this strange environment, the mouse and the fox share many adventures and unexpected surprises; they will have to put aside their natural instincts and work together to succeed on their journey through this new world, ultimately becoming the best of friends. The story is based on a children’s novel that has received numerous literary awards and it has been used in several psychological studies on childhood because of its ability to address sensitive subjects, offering a possible answer to what happens after death. It is also a quest for love and courage to help heal old wounds
SHORT FILM: The Gypsy Dance / Cikánský tanec | 2021 CZ | Animation | 3 min
SAT 2/04/22 1:30PM
DIRECTOR Jan Bubeníček, Denisa Grimmová LANGUAGE Czech | English Subtitles
English subtitles
AGE No restriction
CAST Pavlína Balner,
Matouš Ruml
Ondřej Vetchý
Lukáš Pavlásek,
Martin Stránský
Jiří Klem
Jiří Lábus
PACHO, THIEF OF HYBE / Pacho, hybský zbojník
1975 CZSK | Comedy | 85 min
This bittersweet cult comedy about oppression of poor Slovakian people by Austro-Hungarian aristocracy is inspired by the stories about the legendary outlaw Jánošík and traditional folk humour. Pacho from the mountain village of Hybe is in almost every way the exact opposite of his predecessor however: he is small and weak and not known for big words or big deeds. Detesting injustice and feudal oppression, as well as arrogance of the local nobility, he begins to stand up for his subjects. Being no ordinary outlaw, he copes with each troublesome situation with the help of his cleverness and wit. Armed only with a severed mouth, healthy impudence, clever brain, and a deadly French frenzy brandy, Pacho eventually wins the battle for the position of bandit leader.
SHORT FILM: Overboard / Přes palubu | 2019 SK / CZ | Animation | 12 min
SAT 2/04/22 4:30 PM
DIRECTOR Martin Ťapák LANGUAGE Slovak | English Subtitles
AGE 15+
CAST Jozef Kroner
Dušan Blaškovič
Karol Čálik
Slávo Záhradník,
Július Vašek
Peter Debnár
František Velecký
THE EAR / Ucho
1970 CZSK | Drama / Thriller | 91 min
Awards: Golden Kingfisher at Pilsen Film Festival
Festivals: Cannes Film Festival 1990, Prague IFF – Febiofest, Pilsen Film Festival
The master psychological drama The Ear, an openly accusing totalitarian regime practice, belongs to the so-called vault films. It was shot in a freer atmosphere in the late 1960s, but the film did not reach the audience until after 1990.
The Deputy Minister Ludvík and his wife Anna have become accustomed to the constant spying and eavesdropping of state security. Even at home, they have an all-hearing "ear" recording their conversations… One day after a late return home, when the electricity goes out and Ludvik sees a group of shady men waiting outside his house, he fears nothing but the worst – he must be the next one to go. Watching The Ear, one feels uncomfortably anxious experiencing how difficult it is to live in a country where freedom of expression is neither valued nor protected.
SHORT FILM: Sami / Sami | 2020 SK | Feature | 18:00 min
SAT 2/04/22 7 PM
DIRECTOR Karel Kachyňa LANGUAGE Czech | English Subtitles
AGE 15+
CAST Jiřina Bohdalová
Radoslav Brzobohatý
Gustav Opočenský
Miloslav Holub,
Lubor Tokoš,
Bořivoj Navrátil
THE IMPOSSIBLE VOYAGE / Cesta do nemožna
2019 CZ/SK | Docudrama | 90 min
Awards: IGRIC Award – Slovak National Film & TV Awards
Commissioned as part of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, The Impossible Voyage is a novel approach to telling the story of Štefánik's short but impressive life. Although he died at the age of 38 in a plane crash, his short life is in many ways reminiscent of an adventure novel. Globetrotter, Doctor of Philosophy in Astronomy, Researcher, Mathematician, Pilot, Knight of the Legion of Honour, French General, Diplomat and First Minister of War of the Czechoslovak Republic - all this was Milan Rastislav Štefánik. Being a dreamer and an adventurer, despite his many successes he also had a lot of enemies... The film is a combination of adventure, historical drama and animated grotesque that brings closer a key figure in Czechoslovak history without any national pathos.
SHORT FILM: Tomato Hairytage / Tomato Hairytage | 2021 SK | Animation | 5:23 min
SUN 3/04/22 4:30PM
DIRECTOR Noro Držiak
LANGUAGE Czech, Slovak | English Subtitles
AGE 15+
CAST Tomáš Mischura,
Jana Stryková,
Petr Vaněk,
Kristína Svarinská,
Arnošt Goldflam,
Judit Bárdos,
Ján Greššo
BET ON FRIENDSHIP / Prvok, Šampón, Tečka a Karel
2021 CZ | Comedy | 118 min
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
Four friends - Prvok, Šampón, Tečka a Karel, find out 20 years after graduation that they don't live the way they imagined at 18. That is when they declare war on shrinking testicles and against the middle age crisis by committing to perform several rather bold and challenging tasks. How does a man in his forties find out if he's a real guy? How does he prevent the corrosion of his ideals or the fading of his dreams? This is a film about friendship, the male view of the world, the middle age crisis, the determination to change one's life and improve the relationships one cares about. It also outlines a crisis of one's own identity that does not escape any age group or gender.
SHORT FILM: Shoot / Shoot | 2020 CZ | Animation | 3 min
SUN 3/04/22 7PM
DIRECTOR Patrik Hartl LANGUAGE Czech | English Subtitles
AGE 15+
CAST Martin Pechlát,
David Švehlík,
Hynek Čermák,
Martina Hofmann,
Daniela Kolářová,
Kristýna Boko