Eastern European cinema remains political. Between parables of totalitarianism, analytical observation and caustic satire, developments since the fall of the Iron Curtain and current social rifts are put to the test, the hopes of the 1990s are set against the current political backward gear.

Dear colleagues and friends,

Two Slovak films, Lines (d. Barbora Sliepková) and Ordeal (d. Zuzana Piussi), will world premiere at the 25th edition of Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (26 – 31 October 2021) which will also showcase work of Karol Plicka, a pioneer of Czech-Slovak documentary cinema.

The festival’s main competition programme adds one more world premiere, ten international premieres, three European premieres, and two Estonian premieres to the six world premieres previously announced.

Nineteen films will be screened in competition, with three films out of competition. It’s a packed lineup featuring a couple of legends, a raft of returning Black Nights favourites and several soon-to-be-stars, from all corners of the cinematic globe. 

We can already share exciting news about one title, as per Variety's exclusive: Berlin-based sales outfit M-Appeal has acquired Kirill Sokolov’s “No Looking Back,” a dark action film with a dysfunctional family at its core, in which three generations of warring women face-off. The film makes its international premiere at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in November.

Read more about Official Selection films

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Dear friends, 

The Ji.hlava New Visions Forum, a new financing, co-production and networking event, will present 37 carefully selected new European and U.S. documentary projects.

The presentations will take place on Thursday, October 28 at 15.00–19.00 (projects in development) and on Friday, October 29 at 15.00–19.00 (projects in production and post-production). All accredited industry guests will be able to attend them live as well as watch online. 

Below you will find the remaining 10 European projects in production and post-production, which we have not yet shared with you.

DEADLINE: October 30, 2021

The next edition of WEMW will mark the start of a brand-new era in the design and planning of the co-production market. After ten years based on a traditional physical format and one year run fully online, the new generation of WEMW will introduce a new concept based on hybrid content & format, with a full horizontal integration between physical and virtual participants. WEMW will take place on January 24-28, 2022 and it will include a first module of three days running both on-site in Trieste and online, and a second module available only on the WEMW digital platform. The heart of the event will still be the WEMW Co-Production Forum dedicated to documentaries and feature films in development from all over Europe and beyond. The upcoming edition of WEMW will bring together over 600 film professionals from more than 50 countries, in particular from the 2022 East & West countries in focus: Russia & UK, Ireland, Canada and USA.

OPUS BONUM Best World Documentary Film 2021
Winner: Lines (dir. Barbora Sliepková / Slovakia, 2021)

BRNO/Czech Republic – A dangerous tug-of-war for survival in an almost fantastical landscape full of whaling traces, but also the hope of saving a nearly extinct bird or the hope that comes from people pulling together in a threatening situation. These are the themes of the competing films that won some of the awards at this year's 47th EKOFILM. The main prize of the Minister of the Environment, Richard Brabec, went to the Polish film The Whale from Lorino, directed by Maciej Cuske. The film offers a wordless reflection on who, in the clash of two disappearing worlds, has the right to kill: the hunting man or the hunted whale.

The 31st FilmFestival Cottbus returns to local cinemas from 2nd to 7th of November and presents its 170-film programme, for the first time, in seven venues and on a total of ten screens. In addition, there is digital cinema in streaming, parallel to the festival and extended until the 16th of November. In addition to the four competitions and traditional programme sections, the 31st FFC will highlight current Slovakian cinema, the Turkish film landscape and the transformation processes after the collapse of the Soviet Union.  

The 31st FilmFestival Cottbus returns to the Cottbus’ cinemas from 2nd to 7th of November and presents 32 films from 26 (co-)production countries in its three competitions feature film, short film and youth film. One of the films will celebrate its world premiere in Cottbus and 26 films their German premiere. 

This year, the 31st FilmFestival Cottbus is once again letting it rip with some films. They mix genres and bring exciting entertainment to the audience. Between breakneck shootouts, pointed jokes, adventurous liaisons and surreal communities of destiny reflect thoroughly contemporary social contrasts. From laughter to tears to fear, there is something for everyone.