Overview of new Czech films as well as silent masterpieces from archives
New Czech films as well as selection of the best from our cinematography in past years, meetings with personalities, relationships, memories, as well as prepared film projects - all this is presented at the greatest parade of Czech films - the festival Finále.
In the week from April 19 to April 25 viewers may look forward to see screenings of new full-length feature films, which were made during the festival year, thus since April 2008 till April 2009, and also selected documentaries from year 2008. The actual view of the Czech film is traditionally supplemented by extraordinary interesting archive sections, this year moving back to the unsettled year of 1969, to the forgotten films from 1990s and also to the jubilees of the personalities of the film world. Finále prepared a retrospective Tribute to Věra Chytilová and a special section will remember one of the most peculiar Czech directors František Vláčil.
Almost 150 film screenings will be accompanied by discussions, talk shows, exhibitions, concerts as well as favourite open-air screenings, selection of the festival programme will be available in the Evald cinema in Prague during Finále.
Finále became domesticated in Beseda
Already for the second time Měšťanská beseda in Pilsen becomes the heart of Finále. Five cinema halls will be run there during the festival, the greatest hall for the screenings of 35mm films will be prepared in the Great Hall, a small café will be temporarily opened and two interesting exhibitions will liven up the building. "Our goal is to let the festival guests as well as Pilsner viewers enjoy Finále in Beseda fully," says the festival coordinator Pavla Kormošová. "The premises will remain freely accessible during the whole day, between watching films you may have a cup of coffee, read quietly the festival daily, view a unique exhibition about František Vláčil or photographs of Czech cameramen. You are going to meet personalities of Czech film, foreign experts, journalists as well as film fans."
The second venue where you can enjoy the atmosphere of Finále festival is going to be the multiplex Cinema City Plzeň in the shopping centre Plaza same as last year. In the highly equipped cinema halls you will see the competition feature films.
The third place of festival events will be the Radbuza river bank nearby Inwest in case of a favourable weather. We newly prepare the favourite evening open-air screenings there.
The Golden Kingfishers
12 new Czech full-length feature films will compete in the main competition, out of 23 films which were made. 8 films will be presented at Finále out of competition. 3 films - Normal, In the attic and You kiss like god are not going to be presented at Finále because of a different festival policy of their producers. The holder of the Golden Kingfisher will be selected by the international jury chaired by Milena Jelinek (CZ/USA, scriptwriter), further members are Andreas Eicher (Germany, producer), Ivan Hronec (Slovakia, SPI International, distributor), Lau Shing Hon (Hong Kong, director, actor, scriptwriter) and Pavel Jech (CZ/USA, dean of FAMU).
24 new Czech documentaries were selected to the documentary competition, out of 62 which were made. 10 documentaries will be presented out of competition. The best documentary will be selected again by the international jury, which is chaired by Markéta Šantrochová (CZ, Czech Film Centre - Film Promotion). Decision will be made together with Sari Volanen (Finland, commissioning editor of documentaries) and Marek Šulík (Slovakia, director, editor).
Czech archive films
Same as in previous years Finále gives special attention to the past of the Czech cinematography - this year we will move back in time to the year 1969, which will be commemorated in sections The most turbulent decade of the Czech cinema and Intruders, the production of this exceptional period will be presented also in the Golden sixties. Those wonderful movie cranks or jubilees from the film world will be represented by Jaroslav Papoušek, Karel Kachyňa, Matěj and Petr Forman, Juraj Herz, Vladimír Körner, Dušan Klein, Milan Kundera, Jan Schmidt, Jan Klusák, Jan Švankmajer or documentarists Olga Sommerová, Helena Třeštíková and Miroslav Janek.
The festival prepared a great retrospective Tribute to the director Věra Chytilová (born February, 2, 1929), also the third book from the Finále edition called "Defiance and mercy of Věra Chytilová" is dedicated to her.
Another festival Tribute belongs to the director František Vláčil (February 19, 1924 - January 27, 1999), In addition to the collection of his films there will be an exhibition in Měšťanská beseda called „Struggles of František Vláčil".
This year for the first time the festival will turn to times not so long-ago. The section Silent masterpieces will present films made in 1990s, among others "Vojtech, Called the Orphan" made by director Zdeněk Tyc, „Vracenky" by the director Jan Schmidt or „The bed" by the director Oskar Reif.
Remarkable enterprises and other sections
Finále included in the section Special screenings the film Exhibit of the year 1827, which was shot by deaf people as their first film and is intended not only for deaf viewers.
The connection between film and music is regularly discussed in Talk shows of Zdeněk Suchý - this year with very interesting guests Jan Budař, Aneta Langerová and Radek Pastrňák.
Morning children screenings will not be missing this year, from 8:30 a.m. the smallest viewers will meet Rumcajs, Manka nad Cipísek in Beseda. From 10:00 a.m. from Tuesday to Thursday we prepared for older children the famous series of films directed by Jan Schmidt "Settlement of Crows", "At big river" and "Calling the clan".
Student films of individual Czech film schools will be presented in School the basis of film life.
A foreign film production will be tasted in the exotic section of Chinese films and also in the selection of European films, which will close the 22nd festival year at the weekend.
As every year Finále prepares in cooperation with the Czech film centre the closely watched Panel of film projects.
Discussions
Two from the festival discussions will be dedicated to this year's important jubilees - Věra Chytilová (this discussion will take place together with the presentation of the book "Defiance and mercy of Věra Čhytilová") and the director František Vláčil. The third discussion is called Intruders and the topic will be the Soviet occupation and the return of normalisation.
The opening and closing ceremony of the festival
The opening ceremony of the festival will unlike in previous years take place already on Sunday. In the evening of April 19 a ceremonial is prepared in Měšťanská beseda, including also a preview of the film Turnover by a young director Tomáš Řehořek. "Turnover is a very courageous film," says the festival coordinator Pavla Kormošová. "It is expressive and it has a lot of energy, it sticks out from a common production and it is at the same time also very attractive for viewers. During the long history Finále presented several outstanding and only debuting talents and the director of Turnover Tomáš Řehořek definitely belongs among them."
The closing ceremony with the presentation of Golden Kingfishers will also unusually take place on Friday in the hall of Peklo from 7:00 p.m. Later on, from 10:00 p.m. it will be broadcasted from the record on the 2nd programme of the Czech Television. The Czech TV will also inform about Finále daily through the favourite Bubbles.
Ticket sales
The price of a festival ticket remains the same as last year:
80,- CZK: Cinema City Plzeň (Plzeň Plaza), Měšťanská beseda - Great hall, Měšťanská beseda - Cinema
60,- CZK: Měšťanská beseda - Jonáš, Small hall, Mini cinema
Ticket sales start via internet from April 6 till April 15 and at the ticket offices from April 13 till the end of the festival.
Ticket offices are situated in the City of Pilsen Information Centre, Měšťanská beseda and Cinema City Plzeň. Reductions are available for students, holders of ZTP cards, film club members and seniors.
Disabled person on a wheelchair with escort may get a free entrance to screenings in the framework of the Open cinema project.
For detailed information about Finále see http://www.filmfestfinale.cz/
The password for entrance to Press section is: 22festival
Contacts:
Finále, Dominikánská 3, 301 12 Plzeň; phone: +420 378 035 400
Press Service Plzeň: Daniela Vítová, gsm: +420 603 736 159, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
