What kind of documentaries are being created by the leading Czech documentary filmmakers? What offers the contemporary Czech documentary scene? The Institute of Documentary Film in cooperation with Czech Film Center organises the EVENING WITH CZECH DOCS on Monday, September 25 at 6:30pm at the Světozor Cinema in Prague. The audience have a chance to see a unique presentation of Czech documentaries in preparation and pre-premiere screening of a feature documentary, Mamma from Prison.
The Institute of Documentary Film is continuously monitoring the work of Czech filmmakers and has been organising the Evening with Czech Docs traditionally since 2005. The evening aims to take media and both professional and general public on a tour of the contemporary domestic documentaries. In Světozor there will be thus introduced up to ten documentaries in preparation which will be presented to the audience by the authors and producers in person. The visitors will learn more about the creative concepts and focus of the film themes, and will be offered short previews from all documentaries in preparation.
Projects selected to present in 2017:
EMPIRE BUILDERS, d. Andran Abramjan
THE GOOD LIFE OF BROTHER BENDA, d. Pavel Jurda
LIMITS OF WORK, d. Apolena Rychlíková
PASSENGRES, d. Jana Boršková
THE SOUND IS INNOCENT, d. Johana Švarcová
UNDERSTANDING OF CONTEXT, d. Jakub Felcman, Tomáš Michálek
VIENNA CALLING, d. Petr Šprincl
WHEN THE WAR COMES, d. Jan Gebert
“There are many interesting, powerful documentaries in preparation at the moment and we believe the presentation will be varied both according to the themes and to the authors’ creative approaches,” says the Czech Project manager, Anna Kaslová of the Institute of Documentary Film. She adds: “The presented documentaries are always successful in many ways, which convinces us time and time again about the importance of the Evening with Czech Docs. For instance out of the projects presented last year, Kateřina Hager’s film Children Online had a global premiere at One World and succeeded at several festivals abroad (CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, Busan IFF in South Korea, Biografilm Festival in Bologna, Italy). Helena Třeštíkova’s latest film, A Marriage Story, is also successfully touring international festivals and its release into Czech distribution was followed by a great feedback.”
The evening will be concluded with the preview screening of a feature documentary, Mamma from Prison, which is just starting the distribution circuit. The stories of three women, being observed by the director, Veronika Jonášová, together with the director of photography, Jarmila Štuková since 2012, start in the Světlá nad Sázavou prison. Mothers with their children serve their time in this specialised ward. The film captures their lives in prison as well as their stories once they have been released. Tough life is waiting for everyone outside – becoming a part of normal society and looking for a job with a criminal record is far from easy. “I wondered how our characters will deal with this. Despite all the difficulties, two women get on well out of prison, looking after their children; one unfortunately went back to prison. Moreover, she kept refusing to cooperate for a long time. I decided to end the shooting symbolically on September 1 when the children started their first school year. I have known the children since they wore nappies so it was a powerful moment even for me, seeing them with schoolbags,” Veronika Jonášová adds.
The Evening with Czech Docs, open for general audience for free this year as well, not only contributes towards the promotion and supports the distribution of the films as such; it also helps making Czech documentaries more visible. For more information about the project check https://dokweb.net/activities/czech-docs/2017/about.
