Two Slovak films, Lines (dir. Barbora Sliepková) and Ordeal (dir. Zuzana Piussi), will have their world premiere at 25th edition of Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (October 26 – 31, 2021) which will also showcase work of Karol Plicka, a pioneer of Czech-Slovak documentary cinema.
Lines, a debut feature by Barbora Sliepkova, selected for Opus Bonum competition, is a visual essay about contemporary Bratislava, a post-socialist city in process of transformation to European metropolis.
Czech Joy competition will showcase four Slovak films, including world premiere of Zuzana Piussi’s Ordeal about rule of law in contemporary Slovakia. How I Became a Partisan (dir. Vera Lacková) as well as two minority co-productions Love, Dad (dir. Diana Cam Van Nguyen), and Blood Kin (dir. Miroslav Bambušek) are also up for best Czech doc of the year award.
The Sailor by Lucia Kašová is part of non-competitive section Constellations.
Retrospective section Translucent Being: Karol Plicka will spotlight the work of this important auteur of Czech-Slovak cinema. Plicka made multiple film in Slovakia that are now part of collections of Slovak Film Institute archive. Festival will screen five such films, including The Earth Sings which was awarded at the 2nd Venice film festival in 1934. Other Slovak films include: Visiting Slovaks from New York through to Mississippi, The President of the Republic dr. E. Beneš’s visit, Over Hill and Dale, and Mr. President in Slovakia.
Slovak representatives are also taking part in the Industry program. The new forum for works-in-progress Ji.hlava New Visions includes Paula Ďurinová’s It’s Not Your Fault. Silvia Panáková is one of the 2022 Emerging Producers. Lines and Tomáš Krupa’s short film We Have to Survive: Fukushima! are nominated for the film market’s Silver Eye Award.
