International Competition 5

The international competition, which is open to live-action, animated, and documentary films, features twenty-six productions or co-productions involving twenty-three countries. The geographically diverse selection also includes works from places such as Panama or Haiti whose cinematic creations are rarely seen by Czech audiences. This year’s line-up is similarly colorful and diverse in terms of subject matter, visual form, and narrative style, and the section’s five blocks of films thus represent a unique opportunity to learn about contemporary trends in short film.

The French animated short Scars We Love takes a poetic look at the painful places that remain inside us when we remember an old love. Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes, Croatia’s The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent is a chilling and masterfully constructed drama recalling a tragic event that took place in Bosnia thirty years ago. The Poison Cat, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, takes us deep into the Chinese forest, a place full of strange sounds where ancient legends come to life. Working with a disarming openness, the directing duo of the German-Iranian docufiction Mother Is a Natural Sinner breaks down taboos while exploring gender roles in relationships. The original French film Even Though It’s Night tells the story of an inseparable boyhood friendship in Europe’s largest slum on the outskirts of Madrid. Dancing in the Corner, which premiered at Cannes, delivers an emotional portrait of a father-son relationship while exploring the Polish people’s dreams and hopes after the fall of communism.

The International Competition jury will present an award for Best Film, which comes with a financial prize of 3,000 euros. The jurors will also award two Special Mentions.

English spoken or English subtitled screening. Suitable both for English speaking viewers and Czech viewers alike.