Coming back to Ko\u0161ice, my hometown, where my family still lives, is always something special; not just for those reasons, but also thanks to the city\u2019s one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Many people may not know that the brother of Hungarian writer S\u00e1ndor M\u00e1rai was the eminent film director G\u00e9za Radv\u00e1nyi, who after emigrating discovered the likes of Louis de Fun\u00e8s. The brothers\u2019 childhood home still stands in Ko\u0161ice\u2019s Hlavn\u00e1 ulica, which to me makes a walk through the city centre all the more unique. For the festival, this ambiance is an asset.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been travelling the world for some time now; there was an entire year when I actually lived at festivals. In some places I spent less than 24 hours before flying straight to the next; in others, I could stay longer. I\u2019ve truly seen a great deal. But even after these experiences, it\u2019s lovely to return to Art Film Fest. Because here, I\u2019m coming home. After the premiere of my film Out<\/em> at Cannes, I actually went straight to Ko\u0161ice to show my film to local audiences, the first ones to see it in Slovakia. My whole family from eastern Slovakia came. I was so glad that my grandmother could come and see the film in such a festive setting. Though she proceeded to scold me about the name of the film, I\u2019m thankful to Art Film Fest that she had the opportunity. And because my film\u2019s subsequent marketing and distribution was rather neglected, those festival screenings in Ko\u0161ice have grown even more important to me over time.<\/p>\n I\u2019m enjoying the city; it\u2019s great to be able to watch outstanding films in Ko\u0161ice. I\u2019ve even sat down in Kino Slovan, that old picture house with the aisle still running down the middle of the seating area, and I was just delighted by the whole thing. The fact that these spots are still in operation, that Ko\u0161i\u010de locals frequent them and that cinema interests them. I hope it stays that way for a long time yet.<\/p>\n Film Director <\/strong><\/p>\n Gy\u00f6rgy Krist\u00f3f <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Coming back to Ko\u0161ice, my hometown, where my family still lives, is always something special; not just for those reasons,