The documentary Autumn festival season has opened! The 19th edition of Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (October 27 – November 1, 2015) hosts several Slovak films, some of them in the international premiere.
The competition section Between the Seas, for the countries and nations of Central and Eastern Europe, including their historical, political, and cultural relationships, brings two Slovak long-awaited films: the mosaic about great and small expectations Waiting Room (dir. Palo Korec) and documentary jam session Steam on the River (dir. Robert Kirchhoff, Filip Remunda).
The story of the 
Waiting Room (dir. Palo Korec) shows a woman’s life-cycle through the various forms of waiting based on the specific life stories of real women as they occur or occurred in their lives. It is a documentary mosaic of life, which in some moments is transformed into a harsh sociological study of today’s world. All stories are linked by the waiting room at the Central Station of Bratislava and the fragmented view of the world.
The transience of the fame is the main topic of the Steam on the River (dir. Robert Kirchhoff, Filip Remunda). The film provides a glimpse into the lives of three aging jazzmen: trumpet player Laco Deczi, saxophonist Ľubomír Tamaškovič and double-bass player Ján Jankeje, who fled from the Soviet-occupied Czechoslovakia to the West, where their stars shone alongside those of the world’s famous musicians. Steam on the River will be also screened within the East Silver Market and compete for Silver Eye Award for the best feature-length film.
The Slovak member of the Between the Seas Jury is the scriptwriter and documentarist Viera Čákanyová.
The sidebars Czech Joy and Special Event: Czech Landscape present three coproduction films. Excursions or History of the Present (dir. Jan Gogola) and The Czech Way (dir. Martin Kohout) will be screened in the first mentioned section and Climbing Higher (dir. David Čálek) is prepared for the second one.
Another co-production title will be shown within the Doc-fi. If you want to discover wheather the boundary between documentary and fiction exists do not miss the screening of the Slovak-Czech festival hit by Ivan Ostrochovský Koza.
The Documentaries produced by the Czech Television find also the place within the Festival programme. The selection of these films includes the Slovak-coproduction Through the Eyes of the Photographer (dir. Matej Mináč).
This year again, there are Slovak representatives also in the Industry programme. Among others, Slovak guests of the East Silver Market are: Monika Mikušová, Eva Čarnogurská, Adam Hanuljak, Tomáš Kaminský, Juraj Klaudiny, Kristína Schnirzová.
The Ex Oriente Film, an international training programme supporting the development and funding of creative documentary films from Central and Eastern Europe, will host one Slovak representative: Reach the Sky (dir. Martin Kondrla).
Programme of Slovak films at IDFF Ji.hlava
October 28 – DKO I – 16:30 – Excursions or History of the Present (dir. Jan Gogola)
October 29 – DKO I – 12:00 – The Czech Way (dir. Martin Kohout)
October 29 – DKO II – 14:00 – Koza (dir. Ivan Ostrochovský)
October 29 – Dělnický House – 16:00 – Climbing Higher (dir. David Čálek)
October 29 – Máj Cinema Třešť – 19:30 – Excursions or History of the Present (dir. Jan Gogola)
October 29 – DKO II – 20:00 – Waiting Room (dir. Palo Korec)
October 29 – DKO I – 22:00 – Steam on the River (dir. Robert Kirhoff, Filip Remunda)
October 30 – Small Stage HDJ – 16:00 – Through the Eyes of the Photographer (dir. Matej Mináč)
More information at: www.dokument-festival.com
