FESTIVALS: French/Belgian film wins Bratislava International Film Festival
The International Bratislava Film Festival (www.iffbratislava.sk) under new programme director Matthieu Darras gave its grand prix to the French/Belgian film The Day God Went Away by director Philippe Van Leeuw.
FESTIVALS: Plus Camerimage awards Lebanon cinematographer
Giora Bejach won the Golden Frog for Lebanon at the 2009 Plus Camerimage (www.pluscamerimage.pl), the festival recognizing cinematographers, and Marian Prokop took the Polish competition prize for Snow White Russian…
EFA honors Wajda
The European Film Academy (EFA, www.europeanfilmacademy.org) will bestow its 2009 EFA FIPRESCI Critics award on Polish director Andrzej Wajda for his film Sweet Rush (Tatarak).
Malta markets film service industry
Malta is building on the wave of western films shot in the island nation in recent years to attract productions from farther afield.
Slovenia introduces digital TV transmission
With only one year remaining before it ends analog TV transmissions, Slovenia has begun digital transmissions as of December 1.
Vrabec replaces Jurenc at PRO PLUS
Central European Media Enterprises (CME, www.cetv-net.com ) has named Pavel Vrabec to replace outgoing general manager Marijan Jurenc at its Slovenian company PRO PLUS.
Strong CEE selection in EFP Shooting Stars
Czech, Polish, Romanian and Croatian actors are among the ten finalists selected for the prestigious Shooting Stars presentation by European Film Promotion (EFP).
Baltic Event wraps in Tallinn
After two, intensive days of one-on-one meetings and making business deals, the best projects and producers at the Baltic Event were honored at an awards ceremony on December 1, 2009…
Hungary prepares for MMKA leadership change
Five candidates are under consideration to become the new president of the Motion Picture Public Foundation of Hungary (MMKA, www.mmka.hu): Ferenc Tolvaly, producer András Muhi, scriptwriter Zoltán Kőrösi, producer Andrew…
Hungary launches new regional film fund
Hungary is reaching out to neighboring Slovakia with the launch of the North Hungarian Film Fund, which follows the establishment of similar funds in the south and the west of…
Slovenian cinemas convene on digital issue
Slovenian commercial and art house cinema owners meeting in Ljubljana have decided to unite behind the issue of converting cinema houses to digital projection.
TV stations face cuts
Televison stations across CEE are feeling the effects of the economic crisis, cutting salaries and entire channels.
PRODUCTION: Goran Vojnović's debut begins filming
Young Slovenian film and TV director Goran Vojnović begins filming film Piran - Pirano which received the largest support (920,507 Euros) from the Slovenian Film Fund (www.film-sklad.si) grants in 2009.
Hřebejk film gets early release
Kawasaki´s Roses from Czech director Jan Hřebejk will get a December 21 release, instead of the previously announced spring 2010 release.
FNE VISEGRAD FORUM: Interview with Pavel Strnad
FNE spoke with Pavel Strnad, chairman of the Czech Audiovisual Producers' Association about the current state of the Czech film industry
ESTONIAN FOCUS: Bank Robbery
Bank Robbery, a feature debut from Andrus Tuisk opened in Estonia on October 23.
ESTONIAN FOCUS: Vasha
Vasha, an Estonian-German-Finnish-Irish co-production, was released in cinemas in Estonia on January 23.
ESTONIAN FOCUS: The Temptation of St. Tony
The second feature by Venice Horizons winner Veiko Õunpuu, The Temptation of St Tony, premiered October 10 as the opening film of the second multiplex cinema in Tallinn, Estonia.
ESTONIAN FOCUS: Buratino
Buratino, Son of Pinocchio, an Estonian-Russian co-production released on March 12, was presented at this year's Berlin European Film Market as a previously unheard-of-genre piece: a juvenile musical trash-comedy.
ESTONIAN FOCUS: Bank Robbery
Bank Robbery, a feature debut from Andrus Tuisk opened in Estonia on October 23.
