What's Slovak in Berlin?

February 15 − 25, 2018 WHAT´S SLOVAK IN BERLIN? BERLINALE SPECIAL A book by a former SS officer detailing his time and deeds in falls into the hands of the interpreter, Ali Ungár. The Interpreter He realises that the SS officer is responsible for the death of Tlmočník his parents. He travels to Vienna INTERVIEW WITH MARTIN ties is getting ever stronger in Slovakia number of films that he’s acted in, he is just ŠULÍK, DIRECTOR AND and across the whole of Europe, and peo- one prominent type and so only able to play PRODUCER OF THE FILM ple who have not learned the lessons from himself. Unlike Peter he doesn’t like to talk but, he finds only officer’s son the past tend to succumb to it. Is The Inter- about his character. His principle was: “Don’t Martin Šulík (1962) is an internationally suc- preter intended to be a contribution to the talk, act!” It was intriguing that they not only Georg, who has distanced himself cessful and well-known Slovak film director. discussion on this topic? played two contrasting characters, but they Seven years after his last feature film Gypsy, Together with Marek, we follow what also worked using different methods. Peter from his father’s past. the he is coming back with road movie The In- is going on in Slovakia and Europe, how liked to check his work on video and, based terpreter. The film about two men dealing people’s thinking changes at various levels. on what he viewed, he was able to offer vari- with their past decisions will be world pre- Views very close to Fascism are currently ations on the individual scenes from a criti- interpreter’s visit awakens his miered in the Berlinale Special section. being presented not only by various mili- cal distance. Jirka did not, on principle, view tant organisations but also by politicians in himself while shooting and stated that he interest and he decides to find The film is about two contrasting men who top positions. As if they didn’t comprehend placed all his trust in the director. travel around Slovakia to find the truth the impact of their words. We travelled out who his father actually was. about their own pasts. What affected you across a large part of Central Slovakia, the You tell the story non-traditionally so much that you made the decision to places in which our story is set, and we had through a road movie. Did you opt for this shoot such a story? no trouble in finding people who would be genre with regard to the motif of the jour- When working on a film, several sourc- keen to send someone to the gas chamber ney which carries cognition in it? es of inspiration and concepts always con- or shoot a whole ethnic minority. However, Marek and I liked the idea of making verge. The Interpreter was initially part of many Slovaks are not interested in the past, a road movie with two old men. They are a ten-episode television series Faces (orig. they are consumed by the contemporary both set in their ways, they don’t want to Tváre) about various professions. We wrote it social problems, they have lost all aware- adapt to each other and there is tension together with Marek Leščák and we expect- ness of the context and, without batting between them. The shooting concept also SK, CZ, AT 2018 110 min. fiction ed to present a picture of society, rather like an eyelid, are capable of accepting any po- resulted from this. I was happy to watch Balzac’s Comédie Humaine, via portraits of peo- litical demagogy manipulating history and the faces of both old men when they remi- ple in a variety of professions. We sought to offering radical solutions. Our heroes, just nisced about the past. I wanted to see what Director: Martin Šulík depict each profession in some sort of ethi- like we did, encounter various people on they felt when doing so, I was interested in Screenplay: Marek Leščák, Martin Šulík cal conflict and, by means of these conflicts, their road, people who represent a variety whether they were ashamed, laughing or DOP: Martin Štrba we wanted to understand not just the indi- of views from our past and, based on these moved. We shot a lot of material with the vidual people but also the society we live in. coincidental encounters, they create a pic- director of photography, Martin Štrba, we Cast: Peter Simonischek, Jiří Menzel, Zuzana Mauréry, Attila Mokos The TV companies showed no interest in our ture of the world they live in, of its values. wanted to overlap the conversations with Production: TITANIC (SK), IN Film Praha (CZ), project, it struck them as far too expensive, this material, to create an image counter- which is why, along with Marek Leščák and Peter Simonischek and Jiří Menzel are point to them, but eventually we discarded coop99 filmproduktion (AT), Rozhlas a televízia Slovenska (SK), Česká televize (CZ) producer Rudo Biermann, we took the deci- pronounced personalities. One of them is everything with the editor, Olina Kauf- sion that we would gradually start to make an experienced actor, the other an expe- manová. That seems to have been a good Contact: Titanic, [email protected]; IN Film Praha, [email protected], www.infilm.cz films from the scripts already written. The rienced actor and director. How did that solution. I like watching Jirka and Peter as first we chose was the interpreter’s story. show while shooting the film? they gradually get to know each other. Festivals: Celluloid Dreams, Pascale Ramonda, [email protected] Peter and Jirka are two contrasting act- Sales: Celluloid Dreams, Hengameh Panahi, +33 1 49 70 03 70, Both of the film’s protagonists are con- ing types. Peter is a noted stage actor with Abridged from Film.sk (English Special Edition) [email protected], www.celluloid-dreams.com fronted with events from the period of the big screen experience. He is used to rehears- Slovak State. This theme is highly topical ing and he built his character gradually. This film was financially supported by nowadays as the voice of ultra-right par- Jirka says of himself that, despite the large

World premiere: Berlinale Special Screenings FEB 15 > 14:20 > MGB Cinema * EFM BUYERS ONLY FEB 16 > 10:45 > CinemaxX 4 * EFM BUYERS ONLY FEB 18 > 17:00 > CinemaxX 1 * EFM BUYERS ONLY FEB 23 > 20:00 > Kino International * WORLD PREMIERE WHAT´S SLOVAK IN BERLIN? BERLINALE GENERATION 14PLUS WHAT´S SLOVAK IN BERLIN? BERLINALE MARKET SCREENINGS Untravel Barefoot Neputovanja Nina Po strništi Freedom Nina bos Sloboda

SK, CZ ﹥ 2017 ﹥ 82 min. ﹥ fiction CZ, DK, SK ﹥ 2017 ﹥ 110 min. ﹥ fiction DE, SK ﹥ 2017 ﹥ 106 min. ﹥ fiction Director: Juraj Lehotský Director: Jan Svěrák Director: Jan Speckenbach Screenplay: Marek Leščák, Juraj Lehotský Screenplay: Jan Svěrák Screenplay: Jan Speckenbach, DOP: Norbert Hudec DOP: Vladimír Smutný Andreas Deinert Cast: Bibiana Nováková, Petra Fornayová, Production: Biograf Jan Svěrák (CZ), DOP: Tilo Hauke Robert Roth, Josef Kleindienst Phoenix Film (DK), NOVINSKI (SK), Česká Production: ONE TWO FILMS (DE), BFILM Production: Punkchart films (SK), televize (CZ), Rozhlas a televízia (SK), ZAK Film Production (DE) endorfilm (CZ), Česká televize (CZ), Slovenska (SK), innogy (CZ) World premiere: Lehotsky Film (SK), Rozhlas a televízia www.postrnistibos.cz Festivals & Sales: Pluto Film, Generation 14plus Slovenska (SK), sentimentalfilm (SK) +49 30 2191 8220, [email protected], www.ninafilm.com Festivals: Biograf Jan Svěrák, www.plutofilm.de +420 244 468 100, [email protected], Festivals & Sales: alpha violet / www.sverak.cz World premiere: Keiko Fumato, +33 6 2983 5108, Sales: Portobello Film Sales, 70th Locarno IFF [email protected] / [email protected], Virginie Devesa, +33 6 2041 1137, www.portobellofilmsales.com A woman leaves her husband and two [email protected], children without a word. She is impelled www.alphaviolet.com" International premiere: by an inexplicable force. She wants to be A film about (local) patriotism, tourism RS, SK ﹥ 2018 ﹥ 10 min. ﹥ animation 27th Cottbus FF free. Nora leaves for Vienna where she and emigration. The girl has lived in a grey, directors & Animaton: Ana Nedeljković, Nikola Majdak Jr. World premiere: meets a younger man but she has the Screenplay: Ana Nedeljković 52nd Karlovy Vary IFF 8-year-old Eda is a long-desired and impression that the environment, which is isolated country, enclosed by a huge wall. DOP: Nikola Majdak Jr. anxiously protected child of parents who culturally close to her own country, does She has never travelled anywhere, but all Production: BAŠ ČELIK (RS), BFILM (SK), Your Dreams Factory (SK) Nina is 12. Her parents are getting a divor- had lost one baby before. Eda is therefo- not provide her with sufficient freedom, ce and her world is falling apart before her re a backup child; he even has the same hence she leaves for . She alters her life she has dreamt of leaving forever Contact: BAŠ ČELIK, [email protected], www.bascelik.net; eyes. Her mom and dad say they are only name. After his father rejects to affiliate her appearance, she works as a chamber- for a perfect world called Abroad. BFILM, [email protected], www.bfilm.sk; Your Dreams Factory, doing what is best for her, but in fact, they with Nazi invaders of in maid, she meets the young stripper Etela [email protected], www.yourdreamsfactory.com act as though they only cared for them- 1939, the family has to flee to hide and her husband Tamás, and she embarks selves. Nina doesn't understand them. She at relatives in the countryside. The war on a new life. This films was financially supported by feels abandoned and deceived – it's like provides the mysterious adventures to Eda there is nothing left in the world that she whose child’s eyes cannot perceive the This films was financially supported by could believe in. Her only security in life danger of those difficult times. To him is competitive swimming. At the pool she life feels strange but beautiful now. finds calm and support and everything she Ana Nedeljković was born in Belgrade in 1978. She is a lacks at home. When it looks like she won't This films was financially supported by *visual artist working in the media of drawing, installation and be able to attend a swimming competi- SCREENING: animated film, and is also active in art education. tion, she makes a radical move. FEB 18 > 12:50 > CinemaxX 19 *EFM Nikola Majdak Jr. was born in Slovenia in 1972. For the *past 20 years he has been a freelance DOP, animator, director This films was financially supported by and lecturer. Their first film "Rabbitland" (2013) was awarded the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale. It has also received numerous other awards and has been shown at more than a hundred festivals worldwide. SCREENING: Screenings FEB 18 > 19:15 > Cinestar 5 *EFM FEB 17 > 15:30 > CinemaxX 3 *WORLD PREMIERE FEB 22 > 10:00 > Haus der Kulturen der Welt SCREENING: FEB 24 > 20:15 > Cubix 8 FEB 19 > 12:40 > CinemaxX 16 *EFM FEB 25 > 15:30 > Cubix 8 WHAT´S SLOVAK IN BERLIN? SLOVAK FILM NEWS WHAT´S SLOVAK IN BERLIN? SLOVAK FILM NEWS

More than Promising a million viewers! beginning of 2018

After the record-breaking year of 2016, The number of films produced in Slo- Nvotová) with 15,621 viewers. Her feature for Slovak films Slovak cinema is again hitting the peak vakia in 2017 is also record-setting. All- film, Filthy was the most successful minori- of attendance. In 2017, a total of 6,692,871 together, there were 27 Slovak films and ty co-production with 50,564 viewers. How- viewers attended Slovak cinemas. That co-productions (of which 14 minority co- ever, the record-holder in the number of Slovak cinema has already been reaching The second Slovak co-production that represents an 18.1% increase on 2016 and productions). In 2017, national production films released during 2017 was Jan Hřebejk, for festival awards since the beginning of world premiered at IFF Rotterdam was the it is the second highest attendance since brought not only quantity but also a great- who presented three films to Slovak audi- 2018. 47th edition of prestigious IFF Rotter- last film by legendary director and master 1993. The gross box office takings increased er diversity of genres which was one of the ences - The Family Friend, Deserter and Suitor dam (Jan 24 – Feb 4, 2018) premiered two of Surrealism Jan Švankmajer. Insect com- by 18.91% year-on-year. Viewers paid reasons why domestic films brought in the from the trilogy named Garden Store. Slovak co-production films. bines feature with animation and creates a 34,513,049 EUR in total for tickets, which greatest audience numbers since 1993. In 2016, the average attendance of all The Flower Shop (d. Ruben Desiere), inter- remarkable satire on theatre, film, dreams is the highest amount in Slovakia's inde- Another record was set by the amount Slovak films or majority co-productions in- nationally premiered in the Bright Future and everything that makes humans human pendent history (since January 1, 1993). The of premieres. In 2017, 31 Slovak and co-pro- creased to 31.83 viewers per screening. Last competition, and tells the story of three – and insects, insects. We are observing a share of all Slovak films and majority co- duction films were released in cinemas – 21 year, however, it almost doubted, to 61.63 men digging a tunnel in the back room of group of amateur actors rehearsing The In- productions has risen during previous feature films (including 10 minority co-pro- viewers. a flower shop in order to rob a bank. Unfor- sect Play by the Čapek brothers on a raised years to an unimaginable 18.9%. The most ductions), 9 documentary films (including All Slovak films (not only premieres), tunately, they have to face the unexpected platform in an empty bar as they are slowly attended domestic film was romantic com- 3 minority co-productions) and 1 animated including minority co-productions, were circumstances resulting in tragicomic dis- turning into the characters they are play- edy All or Nothing (d. Marta Ferencová). title produced as minority co-production. viewed by 377,094 cinema goers in 2016, rep- cussions filled with disillusion, self-pity and ing, which - implied in the surrealistic con- Two medium-length documentaries were resenting a 6.6% share in the total attend- opportunism. The usual concept of a heist text of Švankmajer's work - leads to fright- Four national premieres in 2017 reached the also distributed - Hotel Sunrise (d. Mária Ru- ance. The number of viewers of all Slovak genre is enriched with deeper psychology ening transformations. TOP 10 most attended Slovak films from manová) and Varga (d. Soňa Maletzová). Two films and majority co-productions in 2017 of the characters and creative visualization. 1993 to 2017 and All or Nothing with 340,503 short animated films were released as pre- was nearly four times higher – 1,430,504. more news on Slovak films at: www.aic.sk viewers is now in third place. Two national films. Their market share grew up to 18.9% (21.37% titles had more than 300,000 viewers (All or The most attended Slovak documen- including minority co-productions). Nothing and The Line (d. Peter Bebjak)) . tary in 2017 was The Lust for Power (d. Tereza Insect The Flower Shop Hmyz (La fleurière) Kvetinárstvo CZ, SK ﹥ 2018 ﹥ 105 min. ﹥ fiction, anima- tion BE, SK ﹥ 2017 ﹥ 78 min. ﹥ fiction Little Harbour Director: Jan Švankmajer Director: Ruben Desiere Screenplay: Jan Švankmajer Screenplay: Ruben Desiere DOP: Jan Růžička, Adam Oľha DOP: Ruben Desiere Nominated for Production: Athanor (CZ), PubRes (SK) Production: Accatone Films (BE), Mandala Pictures (SK), Beursschouwburg (BE), Popiul Contact: ATHANOR společnost pro (BE), Rozhlas a televízia Slovenska (SK) the ECFA Award filmovou tvorbu (CZ) / Jaromír Kallista, +420 233 322 905, [email protected], Contact: Accattone Films (BE) / Rasmus www.athanor.cz; PubRes (SK) / Van Heddeghem & Ruben Desiere, Little Harbour, successful film by Iveta Gró- the industry incl. production, distribution, Ľubica Orechovská, Zuzana Mistríková, www.accattonefilms.be; fová competes for the overall Award for festivals and media education. The award +421 2 5263 4203, [email protected], Mandala Pictures (SK) / Tomáš Kaminský, the Best European Children & Youth Film of will be given by all ECFA members and will www.pubres.sk +421 908 201 674, www.mandalapictures.eu, 2017, which will be announced by ECFA – Eu- be presented during Berlinale 2018. [email protected] ropean Children's Film Association during Little Harbour tells a story inspired by Festivals & Sales: The Open Reel / Berlinale 2018. true events about two children whose in- Cosimo Santoro, [email protected], Every year, European Children’s Film nocent play will change their lives forever. www.theopenreel.com Association not only gives special attention Ten years-old and living with a mother who to quality films for young audiences, but is not yet ready to be a Mum, Jarka is pushed also brings European children films into the by her desire to love and form a family to spotlight. Little Harbour is among the nine the point where she finds herself giving titles shortlisted for the ECFA Award thanks shelter to two abandoned twin babies. to the ECFA Award at the Olympia Inter- Little Harbour won a Crystal Bear for national Children’s Film Festival in Pyrgos, Best Film in the Generation Kplus competi- Greece. The decision about the winner will tion at Berlinale 2017. be taken by members of ECFA, by over 100 Keeping fingers crossed! film professionals from different fields of WHAT´S SLOVAK IN BERLIN? SLOVAK FILM NEWS SLOVAK FILM INSTITUTE

CENTRAL EUROPEAN CINEMA STAND NO. 137 Martin-Gropius-Bau

Slovakia is hosted at the European Film Mar- ket in Berlin for the 13th time. With friends and colleagues from and Slovenia, under the umbrella of the Cen- tral European Cinema, Slovak Film Institute offers an informational and promotional point for Slovak cinema and a networking place for Slovak film professionals and their international counterparts. Come & meet us at the EFM! www.efm-berlinale.de

REPRESENTATIVES AT BERLINALE 2017 Peter Dubecký, Feb 16 − 20, [email protected] Rastislav Steranka, Feb 15 − 21, The Year of Hanák, [email protected], +421 905 539 500 Kristína Aschenbrennerová, Feb 14 − 23, [email protected], Jakubisko +421 917 684 839 Lea Pagáčová, Feb 14 − 23, [email protected], +421 905 422 281 and Havetta Soňa Balážová, Feb 16 − 19, [email protected] Vanda Vacvalová (SFI sales), Feb 15 − 25, During the second half of the sixties, three Problems with censorship and film- [email protected] outstanding film directors enriched Slovak banning were a significant part of their ar- cinema with their feature debuts. All of tistic creation. Elo Havetta finished just one SLOVAK FILM INSTITUTE them already caught viewers' attention with more film entitled Wild Lilies (1972), when he National Film Archive, National Cinemato- their previous student films (Dušan Hanák suddenly died in 1975. Dušan Hanák later graphic Centre, seat of Creative Europe received recognition for his short documen- shot Rosy Dreams (1976), I Love, You Love (1980) Desk Slovak Republic, Lumière Cinema, taries shot after graduation). All three stud- for which he won the Silver Bear for Best Klapka.sk Store, member of FIAF and EFP ied film directing at FAMU in Prague and, Directing at Berlin IFF, Simple Pleasures (1985), what's more, they were all born in the same Private Lives (1990) and Paper Heads (1995). Ju- CONTACT year – 1938. This is the reason why 2018 will raj Jakubisko is the only active director to Slovak Film Institute / be the anniversary year of Hanák, Jakubisko this day. His most recent film Bathory (2008) Slovenský filmový ústav and Havetta – three crucial pioneers of New is the highest gross domestic film in Slova- Grösslingová 32, SK-811 09 Bratislava wave cinema in Slovakia. kia's independent history. The first one to enter feature-length Slovak Film Institute has recently digi- +421 2 5710 1503, [email protected] production was Juraj Jakubisko with his tally restored a number of their films, no- www.sfu.sk, www.aic.sk, www.klapka.sk, The Prime of Life (1967). He then quickly shot tably - Simple Pleasures (1985) and Private Lives www.filmsk.sk, www.skcinema.sk other titles such as Deserters and Pilgrims (1990) by Dušan Hanák, Infidelity in a Slovak (1968), Birdies, Orphans and Fools (1969) and Way (1981) by Juraj Jakubisko, as well as Cel- See You in Hell, My Friends (1970, finished in ebration in the Botanical Garden (1969) and Wild 1990). Jakubisko brought to the films unique Lilies (1972) by Elo Havetta. On the occasion insanity at various levels, including origi- of their anniversaries in 2018, SFI will make nal games with the possibilities of image them available on DCP for cinemas and film expressivity. Significant visual sentiment festivals and will release them on DVD and is also characteristic for works of both Elo BluRay. Havetta and Dušan Hanák. Havetta debuted with his colorful depiction of a village feast, Celebration in the Botanical Garden (1969) and Hanák with 322 (1969) – feature film with no- FOTO © Archive SFI ticeable documentaristic approach. His fol- Nevera po slovensky / Infidelity in a Slovak Way (1981) photo: Elena Hríbiková lowing work was award-winning documen- Súkromné životy / Simple Pleasures (1990) photo: tary Pictures of the Old World (1972). Vladimír Vavrek