Solar Eclipse wins best Czech documentary of 2011 award at Jihlava film festival

The film Solar Eclipse (Pod sluncem tma) by Martin Mareček won the award for the best Czech documentary at the 15th International Documentary Film Festival in Jihlava on Saturday night. The film, which confronts the attitudes of Czech aid workers in Zambia with the world of local villagers premiered at the festival where it also won the spectators’ award. It’s the first Czech film shot with a photo camera. The Belgian film Lost Land won the prize for best international documentary while the award for best Central and Easter European documentary went to Bakhmaro by Georgian director Salome Jashi. The Jihlava festival, which the largest such event in the region presented more than 200 films from over 40 countries.