48 guests will accompany the program. The Kristian for their Contributions to World Cinema will be awarded to Andrzej Wajda, Dieter Kosslick and Isaach de Bankolé. The festival's program directors will be awarded a state award from Poland for presenting Polish films and supporting Polish cinema in recent years. The sale of tickets for the 21st Febiofest is proceeding with increased interest! At the closing ceremony, the festival will screen The Physician, reward one of the six finalists of the mobile films competition, and award the Grand Prix to a European film.
The Kristian for their Contributions to World Cinema will be awarded to Andrzej Wajda, Dieter Kosslick and Isaach de Bankolé
IFF Prague – Febiofest will award the Kristian to Andrzej Wajda at the opening ceremony, the award will be accepted in his name by Robert Więckiewicz who will also introduce one of the two opening films, Walesa: Man of Hope, directed by Andrzej Wajda. (The other opening film is Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive.) In the course of the festival, other Kristians will be awarded to a long-time director of the Berlinale, Dieter Kosslick, and the French-African-American actor Isaach de Bankolé, known for his work in films by Jim Jarmusch, will receive the Kristian at the festival's closing ceremony.
Dieter Kosslick (1948) has been the program director of the Berlinale, one of the world's most prominent festivals. He studied communication, politics and education in Munich. He worked as a journalist, and dealt with film funding at “Hamburg Film Office”. In 1986, he founded the “European Low Budget Forum” and the cinema “Kino auf der Alster”. He moved from Hamburg to Rhine in 1992 and became the director of the NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia) film foundation. During his 9 years in office, North-Rhine-Westphalia established itself as the most important German film region. He is now a key figure of the prestigious Berlin festival. “He is a visionary man who is also able to successfully bring his original ideas to life,” describes him Hana Cielova. “I am fascinated by both his stubbornness and brilliance in defending his theory of investments in culture, which also bring an economic effect,” adds Stefan Uhrik, Febiofest's program director. Dieter Kosslick has received several awards for his contribution to film and culture. The Kristian from the Prague Febiofest will be the first Czech award in his collection.
Andrzej Wajda (b.1926) is a living legend of Polish cinema, the creator of Man of Marble, Ashes and Diamonds, Landscape After Battle, The Birch Wood, Katyn, Danton, and numerous others. He has been making films since the 1950s and he also works as a theatre director. He was a pillar of the Polish school of “cinema of moral anxiety”, several of his pictures offer a critical reflection on modern Polish and European history, and he often focuses on war topics as well as adaptations of the essential titles of Polish literature. He has not only received many film awards, but also the Order of the White Eagle, Poland's highest decoration. “There is probably not a person in Central European cinema that would document their homeland's history with such consistency and with emphasis on the desire for freedom and protection of elementary moral values,” summarizes Stefan Uhrik Wajda's significance.
Febiofest's program directors will receive a Polish state decoration!
At the suggestion of the director of the Polish Institute in Prague, Piotr Drobniak, Poland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, will award the Bene Merito honorary distinction to Febiofest's program team (namely Mira Haviarova, Hana Cielova, Stefan Uhrik). This distinction is “an expression of appreciation and gratitude of the Polish side for the promotion of Polish cinema and Polish artists during the individual editions of Febiofest.”
The Bene Merito honorary distinction has been bestowed by the Polish government since 2009 for activities promoting Poland abroad. One of the recent recipients of the Bene Merito was British historian Norman Davies.
Febiofest 2014 will support Ukraine. It will present the world premiere of a Maidan film!
IFF Prague – Febiofest has expanded the program of the opening ceremony on March 20th to support Ukrainian democracy during the current turbulent events. The special screening of Voice of Young Ukraine at 8p.m. in Halls 1, 2, and 7 will be free and available to the general public. The collection of the work of the youngest Ukrainian film generation culminates in the direct testimony of the Ukrainian revolution. Some of these filmmakers ended up in prison. Two of them, director Alexander Scerbak and cameraman Mykyta Panisov, will be guests of the screening together with director Michail Gerasimovic Ilyenko,
Febiofest, together with 5 other Central and Eastern European film festivals, also initiates support for Ukrainian colleagues, especially from the festivals in Kiev and Odessa.Thierry Fremaux from Cannes, Alberto Barbera of the Venice film festival – altogether 92 organizers of 60 festivals in 38 countries - have joined the appeal to help their Ukrainian festival colleagues. More information about the appeal can be found here: http://febiofest.cz/en/news/support-ukrainian-film-festivals-27
Srdan Golubovic and others will come to Febiofest, making a total of 48 guests altogether.
The charismatic Srdan Golubovic (b.1972) is one of the most appraised contemporary Serbian directors. Although his filmography is not particularly extensive, consisting of only a few pictures, all of his feature films were presented and awarded at important world festivals, such as the Berlinale, IFF Toronto and IFF Rotterdam. Srdan Golubovic's feature debut, Absolute Hundred (2001), focuses on the topic of post-war trauma and blood feuds, which became a significant part of Golubovic's work and appear in his other feature films in some form as well. The Trap is a story of a loving father who is forced to commit a murder to save his gravely ill son. In Circles (2013), the characters are trying to cope with the trauma caused by the unjust death of one man during the Yugoslavian war. Marko stood up for a Muslim salesman and his courage cost him his life. Circles premiered at the 63rd Berlinale and was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance festival. He will introduce the films in a tribute to him at Febiofest, thus expanding the Balkan Beats section.
Canadian director Simon Lavoie is coming to introduce his film, Torrent, a drama about sacrifice and redemption with mesmerizing scenes of nature in the wild. Olivier van der Zee will be here with the Spanish 3D documentary production, Bull Running in Pamplona.
More about the guests, including those previously announced can be found here: http://www.febiofest.cz/en/guests
New Europe presents a remarkable collection of new European talents in the battle for the Grand Prix
For the seventh time, ambitious first and second films by new talents from European countries will compete in the festival's main competition, the Grand Prix of Febiofest (and also for 5,000 euros for the winning filmmaker and another 5,000 euros for a potential Czech distributor). We will offer the testimony of a generation, a child's view of the world, musings on the consequences of social prejudices, the impact of informants' activities during communism, or the curse of a life imprisoned within one's own physical handicap. We can also find filmmakers who know that humor is not only the spice of life, but also of a good film – either a humorous understanding of human weakness, or parodying their own (French) cultural stereotypes, or sharp black humor.
An ample assembly of guests is coming for the competition. For example, Maciej Pieprzyca will present a touching Polish film, Life Feels Good. Jan Forsström, from Finland the scriptwriter of The Good Son (Grand Prix of Febiofest 2012), returns with his directorial debut, Princess of Egypt. Matteo Oleotto, along with his actors, will introduce a humorous film, Zoran, My Nephew the Idiot. Israeli director, Yariv Horowitz will present a drama set in the ongoing war conflict in Near East, Rock the Casbah. Romanian Valentin Hotea, together with the lead actor, will introduce his film, Roxanne.
Films competing for Grand Prix are HERE.
We are introducing the best films shot on a mobile phone – the finalists of the “You're the Filmmaker” competition
As one of the first innovations of its third decade, IFF Prague – Febiofest has introduced the possibility for the audience to participate in the festival's program with their own films shot on mobile phones or tablets. 50 short films were submitted, and the six finalists were selected to participate in a workshop with an international committee. (The ultimate winner will be announced at the closing ceremony.)
Powerplay (Barbora Skoumalová, Aháta Paličková, Petr Polák)
Shot on an iPhone, the film shows simple archetypal scenes of social advancement through a successful company or gambling, and an equally hard fall.
How I destroyed Paris (Jan Zykán)
A monster film from one room, or doom surrounds the Eiffel Tower...
Being Oneself (Tomáš Fišer)
How to be truly yourself in the everyday hustle of life, asks the film shot on a Samsung Galaxy S3.
Survivor (Ondřej Bojo)
The four-minute film presents the protagonist's hard life with light wit effectively created only through smart editing.
The Wrong Choice (Tomáš Krajča)
A film with an excellent twist...
The Little Schizonautismus (Michal Šteflovič)
Film as a short mobile nightmare...
We already know the 33 jury members! The honorary chairman will be Theodor Pištěk
The winner of Oscar, César and the Czech Lion, a famous costume designer and painter,Theodor Pištěk (b. 1932) will award the Grand Prix to the winner during Febiofest's closing ceremony on March 28th, 2014.
Jury members: Barresi Lucilla (33), Beinhauer Miroslav (59), Bergmannová Julie (31), Burgetová Lenka (26), Červeň Martin (20), Čtveráčková Lenka (36), Gawlińska Martyna (29), Gebauer Filip (35), Hatwiková Iveta (23), Havel Jaroslav (62), Koktová Alena (28), Krátký Daniel (20), Majerčák Samuel (32), Mencl Daniel (19), Ministr Martin (20), Müllerová Jitka (44), Nigrinová Tatiana (65), Nožičková Elena (17), Piksa Vladimír (66), Plášil Filip (38), Řeháček Marek (27), Soušek Pavel (34), Steiger Štěpán (92), Stránská Markéta (24), Štajnerová Karolina (21), Štěpařová Renata (50), Tesaříková Hana (55), Tichavský Radovan (47), Uhl Milan (66),
Vašíček Zbyněk (42), Vintr Vladimír (54), Vintrová Lucie (46), Zábranská Věra (52)
Febiofest's closing film will be the epic film The Physician with Ben Kingsley and Stellan Skarsgård
The Physician is a spectacular adaptation of Noah Gordon's eponymous novel, directed by Philipp Stölzl. The story is set in the 11th century. Rob Cole has a very special power: He is able to sense when somebody is about to die. After both his parents pass away, a wandering physician takes Rob in. The boy becomes his apprentice during their journeys. Rob's desire to learn as much as possible about this profession leads him from Constantinople to Persia, where he attempts to enter a medical school. In the end, the acceptance is ensured only by his meeting with the Persian Shah. This epic German film is often compared to such iconic films of the genre as Lawrence of Arabia or The English Patient.
The Closing Ceremony reception of IFF Prague – Febiofest 2014 will take place in the historical premises of Michna Palace.
Czech (co)production was supported not only by Febiofest, but also by Barrandov Studio, Czech Television and CzechTourism
Five films made predominantly with the joint efforts of Czech and foreign producers will receive a special introduction at IFF Prague – Febiofest 2014. The Czech-Norwegian Detektiv Down, Finnish-Czech April Fools, Jiri Madl's directorial debut To See a Sea, Czech-Romanian A Very Unsettled Summer, and Velvet Terrorists.
Barrandov Studio, with its impressive history of over eighty years, is Febiofest's partner for the third time. “We have collaborated on the festival's preparation and realization with the services of our Film laboratories and with a loan from our collection of costumes and props,” explains general director of Barrandov Studio Petr Tichy, and he adds: “I am glad that several films made with the participation of Barrandov Studio have appeared in this year's festival program again. We built the scenery for Viktor Taus's tragicomedy Clownwise, and we were also partners of the film's premiere. We loaned about 2,500 props to the Czech-Norwegian co-production project, Detektiv Down. And we also collaborated on A Very Unsettled Summer, a film that Anca Damian made partly in our studios in Hostivar.”
Michal Trpak's exhibition will take place at the festival
An exhibition of statues and sculptures is a part of Febiofest for the seventh time. This year, we are introducing a young artist from Ceske Budejovice, Michal Trpak. His exhibition of statues at the plaza in front of Cinestar Andel will be presented for the festival's whole duration, i.e. from March 20th to 28th Michal Trpak is an artist whose sculptures and paintings decorate private collections as well as public spaces in the Czech Republic, for example in Ceske Budejovice and Prague, but also in Germany, Canada, France, and Russia. He studied the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in the atelier of professor J. Beranek. In 2012, he finished his post-graduate studies at the Academy of Arts in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia, under the guidance of professor B. Jirků.
IFF Prague – Febiofest, March 20th – 28th, 2014 at Cinestar Anděl
