Photo: Blaer Hinriksson from film Heardstone<\/p>\n
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On Saturday evening, the closing ceremony in Ko\u0161ice\u2019s Kunsthalle marked the end of the Ko\u0161ice Art Film Fest\u2019s 25th edition. The festival\u2019s grand prize \u2013 the Blue Angel for Best Film \u2013 went to Bulgarian\/Greek film Glory<\/em>.\u00a0The story of an ordinary railway worker who becomes convinced that in today\u2019s world bravery and honesty are nothing more than the butt of jokes, Glory<\/em> was selected from among the 12 films in the main competition.<\/p>\n In addition to the grand prize for best film, the International Jury of Feature Films also awarded prizes to other films, including a Slovak production. The Blue Angel for Best Female Performance went to Slovak actress Dominika Mor\u00e1vkov\u00e1 from Tereza Nvotov\u00e1\u2019s Filthy<\/em>, which also garnered the most votes from audiences, thus winning the JOJ Cinema Audience Award for Best European Film.\u00a0Filthy<\/em> is currently being shown at cinemas across Slovakia.<\/p>\n The Ko\u0161ice Art Film Fest\u2019s Blue Angel for Best Short Film went to Indonesia\u2019s \u201cOn the Origin of Fear\u201d.<\/p>\n Running from 16 to 24 June, the Ko\u0161ice Art Film Fest screened over 170 films and featured numerous illustrious figures. The Actor\u2019s Mission Awards, which Art Film Fest has been granting since 1995, were bestowed upon Ond\u0159ej Vetch\u00fd and\u00a0Magda V\u00e1\u0161\u00e1ryov\u00e1. New this year, the Festival President\u2019s Award was presented to Ji\u0159\u00ed Barto\u0161ka and M\u00e1ria Kr\u00e1\u013eovi\u010dov\u00e1 right at the start of the festival. Slovak director Du\u0161an Tran\u010d\u00edk and Czech director Jan H\u0159ebejk each won Golden Cameras.<\/p>\n \u201cCompared to last year, Art Film Fest has most definitely taken a turn for the better. Audience turnout for screenings has noticeably improved. Visitors reacted just as positively to the accompanying events, appreciating their variety and appeal. Today, as our nine-day marathon of films (as well as concerts, discussions, talk shows, exhibitions and masterclasses) draws to a close, I can in all modesty say that we\u2019ve now shown quite a few people what a modern film festival looks like. Simply put, Art Film Fest has taken firm root in Ko\u0161ice,\u201d stated Peter N\u00e1gel, the festival\u2019s artistic director, in assessment of the 25th AFF.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Blue Angel for BEST FILM <\/strong><\/p>\n Glory <\/strong><\/p>\n Directors: Kristina Grozeva and Peter Valchanov<\/strong><\/p>\n For its brilliant portrayal of an everyman\u2019s tragicomic struggle for his own dignity and justice. With uncommon originality, the film continues in the tradition of the masters of social satire. Its treatment of its subject pulls the viewer in, without sacrificing its lightness or artistic merit. An indispensable film in this day and age.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blue Angel for BEST DIRECTOR<\/strong><\/p>\n Western<\/strong><\/p>\n Director: Valeska Grisebach<\/strong><\/p>\n For its personal story wrapped inside a collective portrait, functioning as a perceptive psychological and social analysis of interpersonal relations between German workmen and Bulgarian rural folk. The film prompts the viewer to consider our place in Europe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blue Angel for BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE <\/strong><\/p>\n Dominika Mor\u00e1vkov\u00e1 in the film Filthy <\/strong><\/p>\n Director: Tereza Nvotov\u00e1<\/strong><\/p>\n For her highly persuasive portrayal of Lena, an adolescent girl who falls victim to a heinous act which leaves deep psychological scars.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blue Angel for BEST MALE PERFORMANCE <\/strong><\/p>\n Baldur Einarsson and Blaer Hinriksson in Heartstone <\/strong><\/p>\n Director: Gu\u00f0mundur Arnar Gu\u00f0mundsson<\/strong><\/p>\n For the sincerity and authenticity of their performances as young boys whose sexuality is only just beginning to awaken, as they come to terms with their differing sexual orientations and struggle for societal acceptance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SPECIAL MENTION<\/strong><\/p>\n The Eremites <\/strong><\/p>\n Director: Ronny Trocker<\/strong><\/p>\n For its visually powerful depiction of an Alpine countryside that is gradually being depopulated. The film\u2019s protagonists grapple with feelings of loneliness and the approaching end. This image of a disappearing world fascinates and enthrals the viewer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n SPECIAL MENTION<\/strong><\/p>\n Barbora Bobulov\u00e1 for her performances in the films Pure Hearts and After the War<\/strong><\/p>\n For her convincing and profound performance, which contributed significantly to the film\u2019s unconventional portrayal of her character, a mother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Audience Award JOJ Cinema for Best European Film <\/strong> <\/p>\n Blue Angel for Best Short Film <\/strong><\/p>\n On The Origin of Fear <\/strong><\/p>\n by Bayu Prihantoro Filemon, Indonesia<\/p>\n We would like to award a film that allows us to experience the hidden power of cinema. On the one hand it shows us a difficult topic in a very simple, but still challenging way and triggers our imagination without depicting the violence it\u2019s talking about. On the other hand it presents the process of filmmaking and lets the audience decide about the level of participation. It\u2019s a physical film with an extremely original approach that seeds a certain knowledge about the origin of fear. Therefore we\u2019d like to give the Award for Best Short Film to<\/p>\n \u00e0 On the Origin of Fear by Bayu Prihantoro Filemon<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Special Mention<\/strong><\/p>\n The Rabbit Hunt<\/strong><\/p>\n by Patrick Bresnan, United States, Hungary<\/p>\n One Special Mention goes to a film that manages \u2013 by focussing on a unique and specific topic \u2013 to unlock ambivalent perspectives on society in a very humanistic and empathic way.<\/p>\n \u00e0 The Rabbit Hunt by Patrick Bresnan<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Special Mention<\/strong><\/p>\n A Brief History of Princess X<\/strong><\/p>\n by Gabriel Abrantes, Portugal, France, United Kingdom<\/p>\n For the light-hearted and convincing manner of turning a story about an apparently male object into a story about a female subject and thus revealing the continuous male struggle of dealing with female sexuality.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Photo: Blaer Hinriksson from film Heardstone On Saturday evening, the closing ceremony in Ko\u0161ice\u2019s Kunsthalle","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,17,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-films","category-news","category-press-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nList of prizes and statements of the juries:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong>\u0160pina<\/strong>| <\/strong>Filth<\/strong>y (Slovakia, Czech Republic)
\n<\/strong>r\u00e9\u017eia | director: Tereza Nvotov\u00e1<\/p>\n