The 29th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (24 October-2 November) will open with Virtual Girlfriends (Czech Republic/Slovakia/Bulgaria), the latest doc by Czech filmmaker Barbora Chalupová (Caught in the Net [+leggi anche:
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“This year, Ji.hlava is just one year away from its 30th anniversary, and the status of documentary film has evolved enormously during that time,” says festival director Marek Hovorka. “Three decades ago, documentaries were regarded as a marginal form, almost invisible without the backing of public broadcasters. Today, no major festival can do without them. Filmmakers now combine elements of fiction, experimentation and animation while developing diverse styles, from observational approaches to film essays.”

The Opus Bonum competition once again highlights a strong line-up of European titles exploring politics, identity and personal transformation. Among them is Diana Fabiánová’s Open (Slovakia), a candid self-portrait examining the dynamics of an open relationship. Truth or Dare (Finland/Bulgaria) by Tonislav Hristov (The Good Driver [+leggi anche:
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The First Lights competition, dedicated to debuting and emerging voices, will explore youth, memory and personal history. Director Maja Penčič’s Minimum Love (Czech Republic) captures the restless energy of Prague’s streets and the disenchanted outlook of its young generation, while Daphne van den Blink’s Standby (Belgium) observes life aboard a NATO warship, exposing the tension and monotony of military discipline. Raaed Al Kour’s Taste of Salt (Germany) gives voice to Arab refugees in Germany through documentary and staged performance, and Ania Szczepańska’s Unearthed (France/Poland) retraces the 1967 archaeological excavation at Auschwitz-Birkenau, uncovering its forgotten legacy.

This year’s Czech Joy section presents 18 new documentaries, with Michal Böhm’s Unborn Father reflecting a new generation’s search for intimacy and identity. Petr Záruba’s Kaprálová pays tribute to visionary composer Vítězslava Kaprálová, while Jakub Ondráček’s Grolich the Great offers an inside look at the mechanics of political image-making. Environmental and reflective themes run through Tomáš Elšík’s lyrical Resilience and Viera Čákanyová’s (White on White [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Viera Čákanyová
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Beyond its competitions, this year’s Ji.hlava IDFF will once again offer an array of retrospectives, special sections and discussions expanding the dialogue around contemporary documentary cinema. The Collective Film retrospective will trace the history and aesthetics of film collectives from the 1960s to the present, featuring works such as Bolivia’s Blood of the Condor (1969), the UK’s Handsworth Songs (1986) and Forensic Architecture’s The Bombing of Rafah (2015), exploring collaboration as both artistic and political practice. The non-competitive Constellations section will screen 43 acclaimed international titles, including David Borenstein’s Mr. Nobody Against Putin [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Gianfranco Rosi
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scheda film]. Ji.hlava will also welcome back Taiwanese auteur Tsai Ming-liang, who will premiere a new entry in his Walker series (see the news), filmed during the festival in collaboration with FAMU students.

Meanwhile, the Inspiration Forum will once again bridge cinema and ideas, with this year’s edition focusing on the themes of Europe, love, money and radicalisation, featuring speakers such as futurist Jonathan Ledgard, peace activist Izzeldin Abuelaish, economist Grace Blakeley and researcher Eviane Leidig.