Exhibition of iconic Art Film photographer Ctibor Bachratý
Renowned Slovak photographer Ctibor Bachratý has been an integral part of the Art Film IFF for over twenty years. His photographs captured the atmosphere of the festival and he himself, and especially his photographs, became an essential element of the Art Film IFF. Last year, on August 27th, we received the sad news that Ctibor had passed into photographic heaven at the age of 68. The organisers of the 30th edition of the Art Film IFF have decided to honour his memory with an exhibition at Kunsthalle, which will run for the entire duration of the festival. The curator of the commemorative exhibition, which looks back at the memorable moments of the festival, is Martin Palúch, the art director of the Art Film IFF.
Ctibor Bachratý specialized mainly in photography in the area of film, theatre and music. His work is famous for its ability to capture the emotions and drama of the moment, making him one of the most respected art photographers in Slovakia. “Some people like to take pictures of nature, but I really like taking images of people. I admire it when someone can go on stage and bring a piece of themselves to the stage. This is what I try to capture in my photographs,” he said in an interview with the Slovak newspaper Pravda in 2021.
At the Art Film IFF, Ctibor praised the fact that the organisers gave him a free hand on what and how to shoot, and he thanked them by creating and delivering photos with a unique atmosphere that brings elegance, kindness, humour and humanity. Several of his photos became iconic and formed the basis of the visuals of subsequent editions of the festival, whether we mention the one with Marián Labuda and his “village” briefcase, or the one with Vica Kerekes and Milan Lasica in the auditorium. He had a long-standing relationship with the unforgettable president of Art Film Milan Lasica, as he was his court photographer as well as L+S Theatre. The film festival was part of their shared life story.
Ctibor Bachratý’s photos can be seen in Ctibor Bachratý Photography Exhibition, but also in the special edition of the festival diary of June 25th, where you can find a selection of the most iconic photographs from the past 29 years of the Art Film IFF.
The photo exhibition was prepared by CANON SLOVAKIA, s.r.o
Opening of the Košice World Region Film Trail
On the fifth day of the festival, June 25th, the opening ceremony of the Košice World Region Film Trail took place in Kulturpark, attended by the President of the Košice Self-Governing Region, Rastislav Trnka, and the Executive Director of Košice Región Turizmus (Košice Tourism Region), Lenka Vargová Jurková.
“In the long term, we are trying to develop the region of Eastern Slovakia as a film region, as we see added value and opportunity in the film industry, which has not yet been fully exploited. That’s why in the past we established the Film Office of the Košice Region, which assists producers in terms of film production. We are trying to support the development of the film industry in the region of Eastern Slovakia and to expand film tourism. This is also why we support the Art Film IFF in Košice. I am very happy that the festival takes place in our city, so we have prepared something new for this year. It is a virtual film trail in which we want to promote eighty film locations in the Košice region, where up to fifty Slovak and international film productions have been carried out. Each film location will have its board in the form of a film flap with a QR code on it. Visitors can scan it and learn interesting information about the film location and the films that were shot there. This application will help us support the visiting of these sites; visitors will be able to find them by means of the SmartGuide application,” the intention of the Košice World Region Film Trail was explained by the President of the Košice Self-Governing Region, Rastislav Trnka.
The Executive Director of Košice Región Turizmus, Lenka Vargová Jurková, added: “We are aware of how many opportunities the Art Film IFF provided us with, and I can say that the Art Film IFF was the incentive for the creation of the Košice World Region Film Trail. On this project we have collaborated with film tourism expert Tomáš Galierik, who is the author of many books in the field of film tourism and has incredibly well mapped film locations all over Slovakia. Our aim was to highlight what we are proud of, what we have here in the Košice Region and what filmmakers have discovered or are still discovering. Thanks to filmmakers, locations in the Košice region appear on the map of world film tourism. I will mention at least a few places for a better idea. In the fairy tale Salt over Gold, the cave Domica appears, which forms the decoration of the Salt Kingdom. The Dobšinská ice cave appeared in the Slovak fairy tale Popolvar, Biggest in the World. Krásna Hôrka Castle appears in the fairy tale Thomas the Falconer. The film Behind Enemy Lines was shot in the village of Háj. In the film Dragonheart we have Tomášovský View and Špiš region as such. And at last, I will mention the series 1890, where you can find the Betliar mansion, and the film The Line, which was filmed in the Michalovce district.”
More at aff.cinepass.sk
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
