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29-04-2013

FNE at Finale Plzen 2013: Czech German Student Comedy Wins Plzen Pitching Award

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    PLZEN: Soon-to-be FAMU graduate Tomas Vach charmed the audience of industry professionals at the Czech Film Center presentation of upcoming films at the Finale Plzen with his pitch of a Czech-German comedy, Julius Schmitke, now in production.

    The film is produced by Vach under the umbrella of indie production company Produkce Radim Prochazka and directed by HFF Potsdam film student Stepan Aaltrichter. The two previously cooperated on a student short film. 

    Vach shared the best pitch prize with Michael Greidel, pitching a German film set on the Czech border, The Big Business. The presentations included non-Czech films for the first time, inviting two German productions with Czech content, a logical extension of this year’s festival focus on neighboring Germany. 

    Speaking with FNE, Czech Film Center’s Jana Cernik said the 2013 catalog of Upcoming Czech Films included the largest number of films to date – nearly 90. Each of the 15 films selected to present at Finale Plzen had an international coproduction element, with several marking first time coproductions between the Czech Republic and countries such as Finland or Mexico, a sign of changing attitudes among Czech filmmakers. As Vach and his German film partner make clear, the youngest generation of filmmakers are coming out of the gate already thinking in terms of international productions, looking beyond borders for content, talent, and funding.