Once again this year, the program of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Jan 25 – Feb 4, 2024) featured several Slovak films. Explanation for Everything was showcased in the Harbour section, and young audiences had a chance to see the animated shorts The Kite and My Name Is Edgar and I Have a Cow.
The Hungarian-Slovak film Explanation for Everything, directed by Gábor Reisz, about a high-school graduation that turns into a nationwide scandal was co-produced by Slovak company MPhilms. Students, teachers, parents, journalists, and politicians enter the story of unfulfilled love and a polarized society. This witty yet apt analysis of nationalism continues its successful festival run, which began last September with the Orizzonti Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Filip Diviak’s My Name Is Edgar, and I Have a Cow has already been screened at festivals including Tallinn Black Nights, Dok Leipzig, AFI Fest, IndieLisboa, and Berlin’s KUKI. Co-produced by the Slovak company Raketa, the film narrates the journey of Edgar, who, following a visit to the slaughterhouse, brings home a newborn calf. As the calf matures and inadvertently wreaks havoc in a confined space, Edgar’s life takes a tumultuous turn.
The Kite, directed by Martin Smatana and produced by BFILM, premiered at the 2019 Berlinale and went on to be showcased at more than 200 international festivals. The film depicts the passing of a loved one in a child-friendly metaphorical way and explains that none of us is here forever.
More info: iffr.com/en
