“I like to sing, and I hope you can tell…I hear bells of happiness ring in the distance…” begins Karel Gott and Dara Rolins’s legendary hit “Bells of Happiness”. But this is no re-run. Quite the opposite; Art Film Fest’s Slovak Season features the hottest domestically produced new releases. And Bells of Happiness is the latest documentary by the directorial duo Marek Šulík and Jana Bučka.
Seen as oddities by the rest of their community, cousins Mariena and Roman share a passion for Karel Gott and Dara Rolins. They collect tabloid clippings about them, sing their hits and even take on their identities. As they record the classic “Bells of Happiness” and create a DVD for their idols, the directors document the entire process.
Documentary films are a cornerstone of contemporary Slovak cinema, and as a testament to the fact, Art Film Fest is presenting two more domestic documentaries. Arnold Kojnok’s Fair Play focuses on Slovak academic painter Július Koller, while Tibor Huszár’s Comeback from Miro Remo focuses on the titular photographer. The Slovak Season section will also be screening the live-action feature films Tigers in the City, Old Souls’ Day and Dancing on Broken Glass, the animated Jožinko in Motion (based on the comic strip by artist Jozef Schek) and a selection of animated music videos.
“In contrast with last year, this time we’ve decided to give audiences nothing but the latest releases. After all, quite a few Slovak films have already been released in cinemas this year, and audiences have taken notice,” said section programmer Miroslav Ulman. “It’s truly a top-notch selection; each and every film is definitely worth spending an hour or two in the cinema with,” he concluded.
Art Film Fest 2012 – the 20th International Trenčianske Teplice/Trenčín Film Festival
The festival is held under the auspices of Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico.
Organizers: ART FILM, n.o., FORZA, a.s.
Co-organizers: The Town of Trenčianske Teplice, the City of Trenčín, Kúpele Trenčianske Teplice
Financial Support: The Audiovisual Fund
General Sponsors: KOOPERATIVA poisťovňa Vienna Insurance Group, Privatbanka
Main Sponsors: Omnia Holding SE, Slovnaft, AquaCity Poprad, Hydrotour Travel Agency
Official Transport Provider: Lancia
Logistics Sponsor: DHL
Student cinepasses for only €5 provided by Prvá stavebná sporiteľňa, a. s.
Sponsors: TIPOS, Slovak Telekom, Penzión Baske, Cinemax, Forza CZ, Omnia Motors, Omnia 2000, DOMO Omnia, Omnia KLF
Official Suppliers: značka Moët, Hotel Pax – the festival spa hotel, NAY Elektrodom, Esterle&Esterle, MF team, LampART, Stredná odborná škola polygrafická
Main Media Sponsors: Slovak Radio and Television, Pravda, Rádio FM, zoznam.sk
Media Sponsors: TA 3, TV JOJ, Film Europe Channel, Central Europe Television, Rádio Europa 2, .týždeň, Eurotelevízia, Pardon, OK!, Kinečko, Kam do mesta, Focus, GONG SK, Boomerang Media, SITA News Agency, Pay-Per Vision Media, euroAWK, Bittner-print, moviemania.sk, filmneweurope.com
Partners: The Trenčín Self-governing Region, the European Commission Representation in Slovakia, the Slovak Film Institute, the Embassy of Israel in Slovakia, CzechTourism, Celtima SK, Hotel Flóra, KURSALON, versity, the Bratislava Culture and Information Centre, Hollywood Classic Entertainment, Niagara, Magic Box Slovakia, the Italian Cultural Institute in Bratislava, Istituto Luce – Cinecittá, Character – Film Development Association