Bratislava presents the best of local films
The 10th Bratislava International Film Festival (Nov 28–Dec 5) will screen a selection of the best short films, documentaries and features made in Slovakia in the last year, including Juraj Lehotsky's award-winning documentary Blind Loves [+see also:
trailer
film profile].
Many of the films are documentaries. Director Pavol Barabas has two adventure stories: Bhutan and Carstensz – The Seventh Summit. Sahraa Karimi's Afghan Women Behind the Wheel looks at women drivers in that war-torn country. Daniel Liska's East Of Everest offers a glimpse into Himalayan culture.
Dusan Trancik's documentary The Optimist examines the life of Ludovit Winter, a businessman and spa founder. The Journey of Magdalena Robinson (dir. Marek Šulík) tells the story of a concentration-camp survivor and of Slovakia's wartime legacy.
Peter Benovsky’s The Last Caravan looks at four families of itinerant entertainers, and Daniel Zemancik’s Janik presents a man who runs an escort service for older gentlemen.
Features in the selection include two period films: Vaclav Marhoul's Tobruk, about a Czechoslovak battalion in Libya during WW2; and Dusan Rapos’ Gypsy Virgin, about a woman musician in the 18th century.
The section includes three features under an hour in length: comedy Big Respect (dir. Viktor Csudai), thriller Surprise (dir. Gabriel Hostaj) and Smog (dir. Daniel Rihak), about an under-achiever musician.
Shorter films include Mill (dir. Mariana Cengel-Solcanska), a retelling of a ballad. Rural Round (dir. Diana Novotna) follows a village doctor. Clothes For Her (dir. Jana Szaboova) is a grandfather's personal story.
The selection is rounded out by animated shorts About Socks and Love (dir. Michaela Copikova), Metamorphoses (dir. Lenka Psencikova) and The String (dir. Michal Meszaros).
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