The popular Slovak Season section of the Art Film IFF will bring to the cinema screens in Košice up to seven first screenings of new Slovak films that have been made recently. The aim of the section is to support and promote Slovak cinema and to enable domestic filmmakers to present their works to a wider public. The festival audience can look forward to the latest Slovak films, as well as discussions and introductions with directors and actors.
The Slovak Season program section is composed of the latest domestic production of Slovak films, some of which won prestigious awards at foreign and domestic festivals. According to the art director of the festival and the compiler of the section, Martin Palúch: “This year’s section will be exceptional. It will present up to seven new Slovak films, which the filmmakers will personally introduce at the festival. These are premieres of original feature-length and international co-productions with majority or minority Slovak participation.”
In its world premiere, the Art Film IFF will present a documentary by debuting director Víťazoslav Chrappa titled Via Slovakia (2024). The documentary tells the story of Slavomir Duchovič, an extraordinary tourist who discovers the treasures of Slovak nature and culture. In 82 days he walked the longest tourist track, more than 1,870 km along the borders of Slovakia. He experienced crises, reached the bottom of his strength, overcame fear several times, but always stood up and continued.
Trailer of Calm in the Canopy
The next in the collection of premieres will be the feature film Calm in the Canopy (2024) directed by Michal Hogenauer, which is a minimalist crime thriller starring the charismatic Pavel Gajdoš and Judit Pecháček in the lead roles. With a detective touch, the film features the story of M., a well-off middle-aged man who spots a suspicious-looking young man at the airport while on a business trip. However, a seemingly insignificant exchange of glances and a few words sets off a spiral of unexpected events.
Trailer of Olympic Halftime
A recent new piece is the documentary Olympic Halftime (2023), in which director Haruna Honcoop travels to Olympic host cities and examines the unsustainable impact of the Olympic Games on the city’s economy, the environment, as well as on the lives of ordinary people.
Experienced Czech director Zdeněk Jiráský will present his co-production title I Don’t Love You Anymore (2023) to the Slovak audience. A teenage road-movie with a social subtext is dedicated to the story of first love, which grew into a planned escape of an unrestrained young couple from home. At the 39th Warsaw Film Festival, the film won the Special Jury Prize in the International Competition.
Trailer of Villa Lucia
The popular blockbuster of last summer, Villa Lucia (2023), will return to the festival cinemas in Košice in a new guise. After Jakubisko’s It’s Better to Be Wealthy and Healthy Than Poor and Ill (1992) and Luther’s Escape to Buda (2002), the new version of Villa Lucia – director’s cut (2024) is the third director’s cut of a Slovak film. As director Kollár says: “There are no finished films, only abandoned ones .” The film tells the story of three friends who, even after their thirties, are united by the memory of their high school classmate Lucia.
Trailer of Kalman’s Day
Internationally successful Hungarian director Szabolcs Hajdu will personally present his latest co-production Kalman’s Day (2023) at the Art Film IFF. The film’s analysis focuses on the behaviour of people living a stereotypical life in which everyone is just trying their best to keep what they have because they are afraid to take risks and try something new.
Trailer of Returns to the Images of the Old World
Director Róbert Šulák will present his directorial debut, Returns to the Images of the Old World (2024). The documentary tells the story of three rural films by the legendary director Dušan Hanák, namely his award-winning film Pictures of the Old World (1972) and two short films, The Mass (1967) and To Leave an Imprint (1970). “Dušan Hanák talks about how the film was created, what happened during the filming and what he wanted to express in the film. Well, it’s not just a film about the Pictures of the Old World. It is a film about three films that seem to be images of the old world,” Šulák tells Mojakultura.sk portal about his film.
The 30th edition of the International Film Festival Art Film will take place thanks to the support of:
Organiser: ART FILM FEST s.r.o.;
Co-organizers: City of Košice, K13 – Košice cultural centers, ART FILM FEST, n.o., LGM, s.r.o., FORLIVE;
The festival was financially supported by: Audiovisual Fund
The festival is co-financed by the Košice self-governing region from the Terra Incognita program;
Senior advertising partner: Slovenská elektrizačná prenosová sústava, a.s.;
Main partners: Národná lotériová spoločnosť TIPOS, Východoslovenská energetika, EUK-Force, SPP, CODES Brand House;
Automotive partner: PORSCHE; Official hotel: Hotel Yasmin;
Main media partners: TV JOJ, Pravda, Eurotelevízia;
Advertising partners: construction company Adefex, Jadrová a vyraďovacia spoločnosť, a.s., Best Press, U. S. Steel Košice, Betpres, Transpetrol, SLOVAKIA TRAVEL, ANTIK Telecom, Cinema Úsmev, CORE LABS, Lucka spring water;
Technological partners: NOV, ZEBRA, DELTA OnLine, ARICOMA, BigON;
Official contractors: DKC Veritas, Eastern Slovak Museum in Košice, Krušovice BOHÉM, BARZZUZ, DOMOS SLOVAKIA, Restaurant Contessa, Café Slávia; Official wine: Kubbo Select and Ostrožovič;
Media partners: JOJ PLAY, JOJ 24, Film Europe, Rádio KOŠICE, aktuality.sk, Forbes, Korzár, Slovenka, SITA, TASR, See & Go, BigMedia, Košice City Guide, Film.sk, Visit Košice, diva.sk, zenskyweb.sk, MOJAkultúra;
Partners: Východoslovenská vodárenská spoločnosť, Nadácia CEF, Slovnaft, AUPARK Košice, Carmeuse Slovakia, JOJ Cinema, Hydrotour travel agency, Taper, YumEarth, KAIFER advokátska kancelária s.r.o., Deva, WITKOWITZ SLOVAKIA, Košice Airport, ECO Technologies, CPK Slovakia, Casa Trade – Casablanca cafe, DC MEDICAL, KPK Reklama, Kvitok, HAIR Factory Košice, Kvety Garomi, Air Taxi, Tesco Stores SR, a.s.;
Financial awards partners: CANON, Filmarina;
Catering partners: Ohnisko – Fire Dining & Brew Bar, Pub u kohúta, El Nacional, Maiko Sushi, Café de Paris, Tabačka Kulturfabrik; BISTRO Blanc, Andiamo GROUP, BENZE; Red Velvet Cake Bar; Tahiti, Café Veritas
