At Rotterdam International Film Festival 2020, four Czech films and co-productions will be part of official selection. The documentary The Alchemical Furnace by Adam Ol'ha and Jan Daňhel will celebrate its world premiere in Deep Focus, along with Icelandic-Swedish-Czech co-production documentary The Vasulka Effect. Communism and the Net or the End of Representative Democracy, directed by Karel Vachek, will be screened in The Tyger Burns section and Mira Fornay will present her new drama Cook F**k Kill in Voices.
Czech films at Rotterdam IFF 2020
THE ALCHEMICAL FURNACE
DEEP FOCUS: Regained
World Premiere
Czech Republic, Slovak Republic 2020 / 117 min
Directed by: Jan Daňhel, Adam Oľha
Produced by: Jaromír Kallista, Jan Švankmajer / Athanor (CZ)
Co-produced by: Zuzana Mistríková, Ľubica Orechovská / PubRes (SK)
Jan Švankmajer at 85 years of age is one of the most prominent artists of European cinema. His work has inspired and guided generations of directors, and his work represents a sharp and merciless exploration of human nature which is entirely unique. Films such as Alice, Faust and Little Otik changed forever the image of stop-motion and opened a world of possibilities in terms of the representation of the inner self. Over three years, directors Adam Oľha and Jan Daňhel followed the life of Jan Švankmajer, from his collaboration with old friend and producer Jaromír Kallista to his memory of Eva Švankmajerová, his wife and creative partner, muse and inseparable other half of the director. Shot on various film formats, using found footage and with a touch of Czech humor, The Alchemical Furnace is an ode to creation and to companionship.
READ MORE ABOUT JAN ŠVANKMAJER'S INSECT
SCREENINGS
SUN 01/26 | 22:15 | Cinerama 7 (Press)
TUE 01/28 | 18:45 | Cinema 5
WED 01/29 | 10:45 | Pathé 6
THU 01/30 | 20:45 | LantarenVenster 3
SALES & FESTIVALS
Pavla Kallistová / Athanor
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+420 603 499 828
Ľubica Orechovská / PubRes
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+421 905 639 429
COMMUNISM AND THE NET OR THE END OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
THE TYGER BURNS
Czech Republic, Slovak Republic 2019 / 335 min
Directed by: Karel Vachek
Produced by: Mikuláš Novotný, Radim Procházka / Background Films (CZ)
Co-produced by: Atelier.doc (SK), Czech Television (CZ), UPP (CZ)
The six-hour essay in four parts examines the history of regimes and revolutions, leaders and martyrs, from a philosophical perspective. The collage of personal memories, staged scenes and archives of collective memory compares the Prague Spring to the Velvet Revolution and shows the exposure, conflict, crisis, and catharsis of the post-communist society. Democracy can be saved through creative laughter, dissolving the untouchability and hypertrophic egos of the representatives of state institutions. The Internet frees the society from representatives of the non-functional connecting link that prevents direct communication between citizens and institutions of power.
GET INSIDE THE MIND OF KAREL VACHEK
TRAILER
SCREENINGS
SAT 01/25 | 17:00 | LantarenVenster 4
SUN 01/26 | 09:30 | Cinerama 7
SALES & FESTIVALS
Mikuláš Novotný / Background Films
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+420 777 910 290
COOK F**K KILL
VOICES
Czech Republic, Slovak Republic 2019 / 116 min
Directed by: Mira Fornay
Produced by: Viktor Schwarcz / Cineart TV Prague (CZ), Mira Fornay / Mirafox (SK)
Co-produced by: Czech Television (CZ), Radio and Television Slovakia (SK), Synergia Film (CZ)
Jaroslav, a handsome and seemingly good-natured son, father and a decent husband, is, as a matter of fact, pathologically jealous of his wife Blanka. He is very much afraid that one day she would leave him together with their three children. Jaroslav and his family don´t hesitate to employ violence, deceit and terror against others, which ultimately leads to a family tragedy.
READ MORE ABOUT MIRA FORNAY
TRAILER
SCREENINGS
SUN 01/26 | 17:30 | LantarenVenster 3
MON 01/27 | 09:30 | Cinerama 6
TUE 01/28 | 22:30 | de Doelen Jurriaanse Zaal
SAT 02/01 | 09:00 | Pathé 2
SALES & FESTIVALS
Karina Korenblum / Cercamon
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+420 603 880 048
Czech co-productions at Rotterdam IFF 2020
THE VASULKA EFFECT
DEEP FOCUS: Regained
Iceland, Sweden, Czech Republic 2019 / 85 min
Directed by: Hrafnhildur Gunnarsdóttir
Produced by: Sagafilm (IS), Krumma Films (IS)
Co-produced by: Sveriges Television (SE), Produkce Radim Procházka (CZ), Česká televize (CZ), Bullitt Film (DK), Nonami AB (SE)
The life and work of pioneers of video art Steina and Woody Vasulka. Their history with video dates back to the late 60 ́s when they lived and worked in New York. Some have called them the grandparents of the “YouTube generation”, or “grandparents of video art”, seem forgotten by the art world. With humor and serenity, they are struggling with finances and how to leave their media archives to the world. We start to understand the major impact video had on art and society from the 60 ́s until now, a period referred to as the second renaissance, where media art contributed to the decentralization of art and corporate media. With only a handful of allies we see them being rediscovered by art collectors and museums.
SCREENINGS
THU 01/23 | 12:30 | LantarenVenster 4
SAT 01/25 | 21:30 | KINO 2
FRI 01/31 | 09:15 | Cinerama 4
SALES & FESTIVALS
Juno Films
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+1 (609) 933-1806
Czech Film Center operates as a division of the Czech Film Fund
