Come and see 56 films from 26 countries, of which over 30 are Dutch premieres, including feature films, long and short documentaries, animated films and short films. Our team and our 19 international guest filmmakers are looking forward to meeting you.
CURRENT RELEVANT CINEMA
IMAGO
NEXT TO NOTHING
DOCUMENTARIES OPEN DEBATES
A common perception of documentaries is that they shed light on key social and political topics, but often they do much more than that. This form is most effective and poignant when a filmmaker starts from fragile personal stories and leads us to a deeper understanding of underlying issues through richly fleshed characters. In this year’s selection, documentaries not only open up debates but also our hearts, through touching and sometimes devastating stories of people subjected to marginalisation and othering. Their humanity is underscored by humour, which is often their only weapon in the fight against obstacles and for the preservation of their identity and their sanity.
FAMILY FILM
In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to maintain a sense of humour and the ability to take a step back and laugh. One of the weekend mornings will be reserved for our youngest audience, the family-friendly film Planet 7693.
CLASSIC FILM
This year, we spotlight the unique style of Czech humor, including the beloved Czechoslovak classic Men About Town (1969) by Zdenek Podskalsky.
NEW TALENTS COMPETITION
For the first consecutive year, the New Talent Competition gives young filmmakers from Central, Eastern and Southern Europe the opportunity to present their outstanding debut or second film to the public. This time, eight directors from six countries are competing for the €1000 Audience Award.
BETWEEN FILM AND ART
Our new, exciting section curated by artist and filmmaker Temra Pavlovic presents contemporary trends in filmmaking by emerging talents and established directors alike, who are exploring the boundaries of cinematic language with a bold artistic vision.
SHORT FILM, BIG STORIES
In addition to the New Talent Competion and the newly established Between Art and Film section, our short film programme brings out the work of female and female-identifying animation filmmakers from Central and Eastern Europe. The programme, entitled That’s What She Said, has been curated by programmers from five regional animation festivals that form the Animation Festival Network.
MEMORY IN CINEMA
Following last year’s success, a key programme segment continues to spotlight films that depict the past in unique and varied ways. These are films that remind us who we were, films that emphasize the possibilities of personal freedom within oppressive systems, and films that ask whether we have learned the lessons history has brought us. Through fiction, documentaries, hybrid formats, and experimental works, the wide topic of memory is approached in diverse, colourful ways.
LGBTQIA+: PERCEPTIONS OF GENDER IDENTITY
As the general understanding and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ population slowly grows even in Eastern Europe, many people are now beginning to explore their own gender identity. The days of stereotypical portrayals of gay, lesbian and transgender people in cinema are almost behind us, and while stereotypes will always exist, we are learning not to take for granted our perceptions of complex personalities and to stop reducing them to superficial appearances.
STRONG FEMALE VOICES
In many parts of the world, women artists continue to fight for their voices to be heard, grappling with patriarchal oppression or simply striving for equal recognition alongside their male counterparts. We believe it is vital to give emphasis to the talented women filmmakers who bring a unique sensitivity and fresh perspectives to their work. This year’s programme is proud to present bold debut features, imaginative shorts, and powerful works by established auteurs, all offering new insights and challenging conventional narratives.