Cottbus Film Festival focuses on Czech cinema

The eastern German city of Cottbus last week organized its 14th Film Festival specializing on East European Cinema. Apart from the feature film competition and a display of successful movies from countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the festival annually focuses on cinematography of a particular country. This year it was Czech cinema that had the chance to present itself. My colleague Martin Mikule hopped across the border to Germany for the last couple of days of the festival. He's now with me in the studio, so Martin, tell us what was it like?

Cottbus Film Festival focuses on Czech cinema

"Well, it was very nice. The festival showcased lots of films that you would hardly see in any of the big film festivals, and it was also attended by people who were really interested in this kind of cinema. So I can say that the atmosphere was very nice there."

Was the Czech cinema widely represented in Cottbus?

"Oh yes. Very much. There were dozens of Czech films screened at the festival. Most of them were from that last 15 years. The very title of this screening section "Focus New Czech Cinema" says that most of the films were fairly new. Among them were the latest film hits "Up and down", "Zelary" or "One hand can't clap". This film was also included in the festival competition. But you would find many other even less known films from the last years and even a few older films; I can name just for example 'Larks on a String' by Jiri Menzel from 1969."

How about the Czech filmmakers themselves? Were some of them present as well?

"There were really many of them. Let me just name Jan Sverak the author of the Oscar-winning Kolja, Jan Hrebejk who directed "Divided we fall" or "Up and down" or the actress and film director Theodora Remundova who was a member of the festival jury. What is interesting is that most of these filmmakers and authors of the Czech films of recent years tend to be young people - most of them are in their thirties. I would say that their age affects their production in a certain way, and it is quite visible that the current Czech films are somehow different. In Cottbus they called them "The velvet generation" - as a generation that came after the Velvet Revolution and has necessarily been influenced by these years. There was even a debate joined by several Czech filmmakers which discussed this phenomenon. But many of them including Theodora Remundova complained about the bad material situation in Czech film industry."

'Larks on a String'

"I think that the big problem of Czech cinematography are money. If you want to make a movie you must have a big budget. Czech Television was the main co-producer for many Czech feature films but now the situation has changed."

So how has the situation changed?

"The Czech TV has made some essential cuts in their budget. Czech filmmakers are now awaiting an amendment of the audiovisual law which could improve the situation."

How was the response of the audience to the Czech films in Cottbus?

"I would say it was actually very good. I was well surprised that the visitors seemed to understand the Czech humour. So the reactions in general were very positive. I asked the festival director Roland Rust on his relationship to Czech cinema."

'Up and Down'

"I love Czech movies. They are so warm feeling - not so harsh.... They do not need a big budget and special effects. They speak about every day life of ordinary people, in a very modest way. The audience can easily identify with these characters, almost as if they were your neighbours. Also the handcraft is excellent. But it's not the main purpose of these movies. These are movies that address the audience with a certain message."

Who was the winner of the festival competition in the end? Did the Czech film win?

"No, in the end the main prize was given to film called "Schizo" which was made in Russian-Kazakh-French-German co production."

Thank you for joining me in the studio Martin. And just to remind to our listeners that you will bring more information on Cottbus Film Festival in this week Arts on Friday.