FINAL PRESS RELEASE

Finále 2008

The 21st festival of Czech films took place in Pilsen April 21 – 27, 2008
 
The Competition and Accompanying Programme

Over the festival’s seven days 182 films were presented in 99 screenings (84 planned and 15 added) in the following 11 sections:

- NEW CZECH FEATURE FILMS
- DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
- TRIBUTE TO EVALD SCHORM
- TRIBUTE TO JIŘÍ KREJČÍK
- THOSE WONDERFUL MOVIE CRANKS
- CZECH CINEMA’S MOST TURBULENT DECADE – YEAR 1968
- LECTURES, TALKSHOWS, MUSIC VIDEOS
- HISTORY OF 8
- SCHOOL – THE BASIS OF FILM LIFE
- MUSIC VIDEOS
- SCHOOL – THE BASIS OF FILM LIFE

The accompanying programme included:
· OPEN-AIR PROJEKCE – ČESKÉ FANTASY FILMY
· CINEMA FOR PASSANGERS
· CONCERTS:
- SISTERS STEIN
- DAVID KRAUS AND HIS MUSIC BAND
- PANDURANGO WITH MICHAL DVOŘÁK AND DAVID SÍS
- SOUND OF MUSIC, SOUND OF MOVIES... DJ MÁRA
- NIGHT WITH ANDĚL – WITH PROSTI DUMI (AFTER PARTY DJ LPD)
- AFRODIZIAK (USA/UK/CZ)
- IVAN AUDES PIANO
- KUKULÍN + AFTERPARTY DJ CHOCOLATE
- DJ DIOME, DJ SIRKIR + MARTIN TAUBER (DRUMS)
- IVAN AUDES TRIO
· PANELS, DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES, MUSIC VIDEOS, DVD SCREENINGS, THEATRE IN THE STREETS
- Meeting Point - Year 1968
- Discussion - Disputer
- Panel digital cinema
- Panel of upcoming feature and animated projects
- Baptism of book “Reticent Guest Evald Schorm“
 
The following films entered the competition:

·  FEATURE COMPETITION:

New Czech feature films
- LITTLE GIRL BLUE (d. Alice Nellis)
- EDITH PIAF (d. Olivier Dahan)
- TEDDY BEAR (d. Jan Hřebejk)
- THE CAN (d. Tomáš Vorel)
- MOVIE (d. Ivo Trajkov)
- THE LAST TRAIN (d. Joseph Vilsmaier, Dana Vávrová)
- CRASH ROAD (d. Kryštof Hanzlík)
- CATCH THE COD (d. Martin Dolenský)
- VÁCLAV (d. Jiří Vejdělek)
- MATTER OF LIFE (d. Milan Šteindler)
- THE LOVELIEST RIDDLE (d. Zdeněk Troška)
- GRAPES (d. Tomáš Bařina)

OUTSIDE COMPETITION:
- ROMING (d. Jiří Vejdělek)
- CATFISH SUMMER (d. Michal Krajňák)
- A WEDDING ON A BATTLEFIELD (d. Dušan Klein)
- AT YOUR OWN RISK (d. Filip Renč)
- OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN (d. Vladimír Michálek)
- COUNTRY TEACHER (d. Bohdan Sláma)
- SUCH AN ORDINARY FAMILY (d. Patrik Hartl)
 
·  DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION:
- CITIZEN HAVEL (d. Pavel Koutecký, Miroslav Janek)
- PEACE WITH SEALS (d. Miloslav Novák)
- JAN SAUDEK (d. Adolf Zika)
- LOST HOLIDAY (d. Lucie Králová)
- GENERAL (d. Jaroslav Kratochvíl)
- SAFETY ZONE (d. Lukáš Kokeš)
- DURBAN POISON (d. Keith Jones)
- IRENE (d. Lukáš Kokeš)
- WHO IS AFRAID OF ASHLEY LIGHTSPEED? (d. Bohdan Bláhovec)
- SEE YOU IN DENVERU (d. Jan Šikl)
- SCHOOL FOR WOMEN’S SOUL (d. Tereza Tara)
- ABOUT SHOES (d. Rozálie Kohoutová)
- CAN WE QUIT FUSSIN´AROUND? (d. Břetislav Rychlík)
- FORTRESS VISITORS (d. Petr Hátle)
- A TOWN CALLED HERMITAGE (d. Ondřej Provazník, Martin Dušek)
- WHAT IS IT (d. Jaroslav Kratochvíl )
- PIRANHA (d. Viera Čákanyová)
- LIFE IN FEATHERS (d. Martin Řezníček)
- HILTONLEAVING (d. Petr Hátle )
- BEAUTIFUL PRAGUE TO BECOME OLYMPIC? (d. Andrea Culková)
- WRITTEN FOR PRAGUE SPRING (d. Pavel Koutecký, Jaroslav Hovorka)
- FISH´N´PILLS (d. Tereza Tara)
- THE TADPOLE, THE RABBIT AND THE HOLY GHOST (d. Filip Remunda)
- AU! (d. Alena Činčerová)
- DESK-BASED ASSASSINATION (d. Radim Procházka)
- MILOŠ ZEMAN - POLITICIAN´S OBITUARY AND A CELEBRATION OF THE VYSOČINA HILLS (d. Robert Sedláček)
- FRIENDS UNTIL DEATH (d. Ladislav Kaboš)
- TROUBLEMAKERS (d. Věra Chytilová)
- A WELL-PAID WALK (d. Olga Špátová)
- MEDELA (d. Olga Sommerová)
- HOME (d. Margareta Hruza)
- THE ADVENTURES OF ANNA BARBORA - INTERMEZZO (d. Vít Janeček)
- FARMERS (d. Alena Činčerová)
- SUCHÁ HORA, A VILLAGE AT THE END OF THE LINE (d. Pavel Štingl)

Juries and Awards
· The International Feature Film Jury consisting of:
Ivo Mathé (Czech Republic), pro rector AMU – chairperson of the jury
Jan Fleischer (Great Britain), scriptwriter and dramaturge
Nerina Kocjančič (Slovenia), film professional
Theodore Schwinke (USA), film journalist
Mira Staleva (Bulgaria), managing director Sofia Meetings

conferred the main statutory award of the festival,
GOLDEN KINGFISHER,
in the Best Feature Film category
on the film
LITTLE GIRL BLUE
 directed by Alice Nellis

REASON:

Film LITTLE GIRL BLUE has made undoubtedly the deepest impression on the international jury since its distinctive intention concerning the content was elaborated in a really simple and pure manner. The film presents an intimate portrait of a woman who is coping with her middle age. The director tells the story using a subtle and charming film language.

 
· The International Documentary Film Jury consisting of:

Peter Kerekes (Slovakia) – chairperson of the jury
Helena Třeštíková (Czech Republic), documentarian
Anita Gerencsér (Hungary), producer

conferred the main statutory award of the festival,
the GOLDEN KINGFISHER,
in the Best Documentary Film category
CITIZEN HAVEL
directed by Pavel Koutecký and Miroslav Janek

· Special Award
and further decided to confer a Special Award on
the collection of FAMU films,
directed by Bohdan Bláhovec, Viera Čákanyová,
Petr Hátl, Rozálie Kohoutová, Lukáš Kokeš,
Jaroslav Kratochvíl and Tereza Tara

REASON:

Citizen Havel - for Don Quixote´s efforts of the film-makers and the main protagonist to change the world for the better.

The collection of FAMU films - for hope they are giving the Czech film thanks to their clear civic stance and cultured film language.
 
· The Audience Award of Plzeňský Prazdroj for the best film

was based on the festival visitors voting conferred on
film GRAPES
directed by Tomáš Bařina
· Based on voting at www.filmfestfinale.cz
and also a voucher in festival special in MF Dnes

THE AWARD FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE
was conferred on
IVAN TROJAN
for his role in film Václav
Film Festival FINÁLE

conferred
the AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SUPPORT
OF CZECH CINEMATOGRAPHY ABROAD on
Mr Peter Dubecký
      

Accredited Guests and Journalists

618 persons were accredited at the festival, including 94 journalists, 44 foreign guests. The remaining accreditations were for home guests, jury members, students, film club members.
By Saturday evening 16 238 tickets were issued (including accreditations).

· SOME OF FOREIGN GUESTS
Walter Annuss – Germany; professor; UNIVERSITÄT REGENSBURG; Alain Bégramian – France; film professional; CNC - CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA CINÉMATIOGRAPHIE; Deborah Benattar – Czech Republic, audiovisual attaché; AMBASSADE DE FRANCE EN RÉPUBLIQUE TCHEQUE; Martina Besier – Germany, festival coordinator; SCHMIDTZ KATZE FILMKOLLEKTIV GMBH; Klaus Blanc – Germany, director of cultural studies; OFFENE AKADEMIE DER  MÜNCHENER VOLKSCHULLE IM GASTEIG; Miroslaw Bork – Poland, festival art director, FESTIWAL POLSKICH FILMOW FABULARNYCH GDYNIA; Amy Broadfoot – Czech Republic, festival coordinator; Taskovski Films; Aleš Březina – Canada, film journalist; SATELLITE; Renata Clark – Great Britain, assistant director; CZECH CENTRE; Arnold Deć – Poland, producer; Festival Crossroads of Europe; Michal Drobný – Slovak Republic, distributor; CONTINENTAL FILM, s.r.o.; Anton Drobný – Slovak Republic, distributor; CONTINENTAL FILM, s.r.o.; Peter Dubecký – Slovak Republic, distributor, general director; SLOVENSKÝ FILMOVÝ ÚSTAV; Gutek Film Ltd.;  Jakub Duszyński – Poland, art director; Gutek Film Ltd.; Christina Frankenberg – Germany, programme officer; CZECH CENTRE; Robert Gál – Hungary, cultural officer, České centrum Budapešť; Pavol Hell – Canada, professor; ; IFF VANCOUVER; Markéta Hodoušková – France, coordinator for Central and East Europe; EUROPA CINEMAS; Andrzej Kawala – Poland, festival director; LUBUSKIE LATO FILMOWE - LUBUSKIE FILM SUMMER; Hana Klabanová – Germany, director; CZECH CENTER; Piotr Kotowski – Poland, film publicist; SUMMER FILM ACADEMY; Irena Kovářová – USA, film professional; INDEPENDENT FILM PROGRAMMER; Stefan Kügel – Czech Republic, film journalist; JUNGE PRESSE BAYERN E.V.; Marcel Maiga – Germany, programme coordinator; IFF COTTBUS; Alexei Medvedev – Russia, member of selection jury; IFF 2MORROW; Denis Nikitenko – Ukraine, film professional; IFF MOLODIST; Freddy Olsson – Sweden, film professional; BOKOMOTIV FILMPRODUKTION AB; Thom Palmen – Sweden, film professional; Umea International Film Festival;  Volker Petzold – Germany, programme adviser; Robert Richter – Switzerland, film professional; SAN SEBASTIÁN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL; Malgorzata Sandecka – Poland, film professional; SCRIPTEAST, INDEPENDENT FILM FOUNDATION; Hans-Joachim Schlegel – Germany, film professional; INTERNATIONAL FILMFESTIVAL "SHAKEN ZHULDYZDARY" ALMATY/GOEAST-FESTIVAL, WIESBADEN; David Sorfa – Great Britain, docent; LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY; David Stecher – Germany, director; CZECH CENTER MUNICH; Jörg Taszman – Germany, film journalist; BLICKPUNKT FILM, MDR RADIO, DEUTSCHE WELLE RADIO; Joanna Tereszczuk – Poland, film professional; VIVARTO sp. z.o.o., Independent Film Distribution; Will Tizard – Czech Republic, film journalist; VARIETY; Miroslav Ulman – Slovak Republic, film journalist; FILM.SK; Michael Wellner-Pospíšil – Bulharsko, diplomat; CZECH CENTER BULGARIA; Zita Zeitler – Germany, film professional; CZECH CENTER DRESDEN and others.
 
· SOME OF DOMESTIC GUESTS
Pavel Anděl – journalist, presenter; Libuše Balounová – actress; Tomáš Bařina – director; Hynek Bočan – director; Tereza Brodská – actress; Jana Černík – director of film promotion; Petr Čtvrtníček – actor, presenter; Olga Dabrowská – director; Michal Dlouhý – actor; Martin Dolenský – director; Michal Dvořák – musician; Ivan Fíla – director, scriptwriter; Jana Hádková – director; Jaromír Hanzlík – actor; Dagmar Havlová – actress; Miroslav Hrabě – actor; Věra Chytilová – director and scriptwriter; Petr Jákl – producer; Juraj Jakubisko – director, scriptwriter; Deana Jakubisková – producer; Miroslav Janek – director, scriptwriter; Petr Jeništa – actor; Lenka Jurošková – actress; Jan Kačer – director; Pavel Kikinčuk – actor; Kamila Kikinčuková – actress; Jakub Kohák – director; Pavel Kohout – writer; Čestmír Kopecký – producer; Taťána Krchovová – actress; Lukáš Langmajer – actor; Lubomír Lipský – actor; Jan Lukeš – distributor, editor, historian, scriptwriter; Ivana Lukešová – historian; Jiří Macháček – actor; Václav Marhoul – producer, scriptwriter; Jelena Mašínová – writer; Taťjana Medvecká – actress; Jiří Menzel – director; Dorota Nvotová – actress; Tereza Nvotová – actress; Filip Renč – director, scriptwriter; Břetislav Rychlík – director, scriptwriter; Jan Saudek – photographer; Jan Schmidt – director, scriptwriter; Zdeněk Skokan; Bohdan Sláma – director, scriptwriter; Olga Sommerová – director, scriptwriter; Kristián Suda – dramaturge, člen rady; Marta Šímová – film historian; Olga Špátová – director; Milan Šteindler – actor, director, scriptwriter; Pavel Štingl – director, producer, scriptwriter; Věra Švejkina – actress; Václav Táborský – documentarian; Ivo Trajkov – director, scriptwriter, producer; Ondřej Trojan – producer, ČFTA, ČFK; Zdeněk Troška – director, scriptwriter; Karel Vachek – director, scriptwriter; Jiří Vejdělek – director; Lucie Vondráčková – actress; Filip Vorel – actor; Tomáš Vorel jr. – actor; Tereza Voříšková – actress; Lenka Vychodilová – actress, singer; Jiří Vyorálek – actor; Karel Zima – actor; Madla Zimová – actress and others.
 

Festival Partners
General partner: Plzeňská teplárenská

Official partners: ČEZ Group
 Plzeňský Prazdroj

Partners: Haas Fertigbau
 DADDY TOYS s. r. o.
 Cinema City
 Plzeň Plaza
 Filmopolis
 Esprit – Plzeňský kulturní servis
 Porsche Plzeň
 xtreme cinemas

Financial support: Czech Casinos
 The Foundation of 700 Years of the City of Pilsen

Medial partners: Český rozhlas Plzeň
 MF Dnes
 Satelite 1- 416
 Xantypa
 ZAK TV
 Filmpub.cz

Special thanks for financial support:
 CITY OF PILSEN
 PILSEN REGION
CZECH NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF CZECH CINEMATOGRAPHY
 MINISTRY OF CULTURE OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Special thanks to: AEROFILMS
 ASSCIATION OF CZECH FILM CLUBS
 ATELIERS BONTON ZLÍN
 BIOSCOP
 BOHEMIA SEKT
 BONTONFILM
 CENTRE OF CZECH VIDEO
 CESNET Z.S.P.O.
 CINEMART
 CZECH TELEVISION
 CZECH FILM CENTRE
 DATAKAL
 FALCON
 FAMU
 FILMEXPORT
 FILM PŘEHLED
 HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC ENTERTAINMENT
 SHORT FILM PRAHA
 NATIONAL FILM ARCHIVE
 PANASONIC
 PLZEŇSKÝ PRAZDROJ
 SONY MUSIC BONTON
 TELEXPORT
 SLOVAKIAN FILM INSTITUTE
 SPRÁVA INFORMAČNÍCH TECHNOLOGIÍ MĚSTA PLZNĚ
 SPI INTERNATIONAL
 WARNER BROTHERS

Press Service of festival Finále 2008
Daniela Vítová
In Pilsen, April 26, 2008