Aňa Geislerová returns to Zlín as the chairwoman of the film festival jury!
Jan Čenský and Dana Morávková hosted the opening ceremony.
Both of them got the party started and the children audience went crazy. "I love it here, for me it's the real world of film and amazing viewers, who are mainly children," said Morávková, who did not hesitate last year and changed into a Pippi Longstocking costume.
"The combination of film and filmmaking tradition gives the audience of the Zlín festival a unique feature."
On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the birth of screenwriter and author Oto Hofman, the entire Saturday was devoted to his films. A documentary about him by director Karel Smyczek, which maps the personality and work of one of the pioneers of Czech children's films and recalls his contribution in the European context, also premiered.
Aňa Geislerová as chairwoman of the jury
One of the most prominent persons of Saturday was also Aňa Geislerová, who sat behind the jury table. "My first film premiere took place in Zlín, where Requiem for a Doll was shot. And it will be the first time I am chairwoman of a jury. I am very proud and happy at the same time," Geislerová said about the luxurious film show.
In addition to the Ana Geislerová and experts, child jurors from different countries around the world will also be judging this year's competing films. Together with filmmakers from Germany, Austria, India and Poland, they will devote themselves to films for children and youth. Editor and producer Adam Dvořák will, together with other colleagues, judge the first European films, and actress, director and musician Johana Švarcová will deal with competing student films.
The main topic is Czechoslovak film
The main theme of the 58th film festival is Czechoslovak film, with respect to the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovakia. Films will include Ať žijí duchové (Long Live Ghosts), Tři veteráni (Three Veterans), S tebou mě baví svět (The World is Fun with You), Byl jednou jeden král (Once Upon a Time There Was a King) or the animated classic Potkali se u Kolína (They Met by Kolín). However, less known Slovak films such as Neberte nám princeznú (Don't Take Our Princess) or Keby som mal pušku (If I Had a Rifle), and, of course, Perinbaba, will also be seen. The phenomenon of Czechoslovak film music will also be present and through children's films we will remember important composers such as Jaroslav Uhlíř or the already deceased Karel Svoboda, Petr Skoumal, Petr Hapka and Angelo Michajlov.
Awards: Magda Vašáryová and Jaromír Hanzlík will win the Golden Slipper
The twenty-second Golden Slipper will be accepted at the 58th Zlín Film Festival for the first time by two big names in film. They are Slovak actress Magda Vašáryová and Czech actor Jaromír Hanzlík. Stars on the Walk of Fame in front of the Grand Cinema this year will be revealed by the festival organizers and the Kapka naděje foundation for Czech actress Ivana Andrlová and Slovak actor Maroš Kramář. The great star of this year's Zlín Film Festival will be maestro Andrea Morricone, one of the greatest contemporary Italian composers and conductors, and son of the phenomenal composer Ennio Morricone.
YouTubers are also present
The entire festival will be watched from a social networks point of view by YouTuber Luboš Kulíšek, a.k.a Luboš Je Celkem Fajn, who appeared at the ceremony and literally caused mayhem among the children. This year he will host the festival minutes on CT 2.
Accompanying program
The festival offers many other attractive programs. Concerts and exhibitions, including the popular film flaps, have been prepared. In 1998, the idea of inviting artists to artistically craft a wooden flap was born. Today, more than 150 artists are involved in the project and a total of 2,000,000 CZK is being auctioned for these flaps to support filmmakers from film schools and other emerging creative artists. Another interesting exhibition is the princess costume collection or the collection of work photos depicting Jiří Menzel as both a director and an actor. Concerts will be played by Jana Kirschner, Ondřej Brzobohatý, Horkýže slíže and Ben Christovao.
Lovers of railway nostalgia will also be satisfied. On Saturday, May 26th, Czech Railways dispatched a luxurious steam train between stations Otrokovice, Zlín střed and Vizovice, Czech Railways spokesperson Monika Bezuchová told Zlin.cz. At the front of the train was the steam locomotive Matěj, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
How time went by with the festival
The establishment of the tradition of a regular film show in Zlín was a logical result of the efforts of local filmmakers to present their own production in domestic conditions. The first year of the festival in 1961 took place exactly 20 years after another Zlín film show, which was called Film Harvest (or also the Zliennale). Even though they were held in the war years 1940-1941, they attracted considerable attention from the audience and the creators themselves. Most of the stars of the internationally successful Czech and Slovak cinematography of that time were present at the Film Harvest.
The largest screening room in Central Europe
The main program was hosted by the Grand Cinema in Zlín, with the largest screening room in Central Europe at that time. The capacity of the building was more than 2,500 spectators! The Grand Cinema is still in operation today, the opening ceremony of the festival is held there regularly, as well as screenings of the most popular films.
Zlín is linked with luxury films through the strong history of the film studio in Zlín, founded in 1936 by Jan Antonín Baťa as a studio for the production of advertising images of the Baťa shoemaking empire.
The film center for children
The film studio in Zlín has been devoted to children's films since the early 1940s. Over time, the Zlín atelier became the most important center of film production for children in Czechoslovakia. Hundreds of feature, animated and combined films have been shot here. Many have won prestigious awards, or, as in the case of Karel Zeman, global popularity. In addition to Zeman, other creative artists in Zlín were also involved in the history of world cinematography: Hermína Týrlová, another Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Hackenschmied, Břetislav Pojar, Josef Pinkava, and others.
Zlín Film Festival
