Estonian animation celebrates 50th anniversary
Estonia is celebrating its jubilee anniversary of animation production in November with a series of exhibitions and DVD releases, as well as an industry conference including the first World Championships…
The Karamazov Brothers by Petr Zelenka moves to post-production
Leading Czech director Petr Zelenka is now in post-production with his new film The Karamazovs, played by members of the well-known Prague-based Dejvice Theater.
Scandinavian Day at Gdynia to highlight cooperation
The artistic director of the 32nd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia believes Central Europe filmmakers have much to learn from the close cooperation among the film industries of the Nordic…
More funding means better quality at Gdynia festival
The artistic director of the 32nd Polish Film Festival in Gydnia says this year's screenings by younger directors will be marked by a higher level of quality than in the…
Budapest Film introduces first movie download service
Hungary's first online film downloading portal, Filmklik (www.filmklik.hu), has ended its three-month trial period and is now expanding its inventory to make more than 300 films available by year-end.
Russian box office growth outpacing Central Europe
Russian box office is set to more than double in the next five years according to a survey by the U.K.-based cinema industry analysts Dodona Research (www.dodona.co.uk). That compares with…
Andrzej Wajda film Katyn inaugurates Polish Film Festival
A special showing of Andrzej Wajda's landmark film Katyń will be screened today as part of the grand opening of the 32nd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. Poland's most prestigious…
Another Czech charged in film piracy case
A second Czech faces charges of copyright infringement as Czech authorities start clamping down on film piracy. Only a month after a 19-year-old student was charged with pirating The Simpsons…
Four films completed during Malta summer schedule
Four feature films have been completed or are winding up production on Malta. The neighbouring island of Gozo also saw some summer activity when the long-running UK series Coronation Street…
Polish film Time to Die screened at Toronto fest
The Polish Film Institute, whose mission is to support the country's film industry, is co-financing Time to Die, a tale of an elderly woman's struggle in communist Poland, at the…
Empties, fresh from Venice, on London film festival programme
Empties, a poignant Czech comedy directed by Jan Svěrák, will be on the programme of the Times BFI 51st London Film Festival which opens Oct. 17.
Smecky finishes taping music for new VeggieTales film
The Smecky Recording Studio, part of the Barrandov Studios complex in Prague, has wound up taping the music for the new animated megafilm The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, the…
Upcoming Czech docs previewed
A presentation of upcoming Czech documentary films was held this week in Prague. The presentation, in the style of a cabaret, was organised by the Czech Film Center (www.filmcenter.cz), Institute…
PFI-backed films reap seven awards in Venice
Films backed by the Polish Film Institute (www.pisf.org) won seven awards at the recent Venice Biennale. Paul Laverty won the Osella prize among the official awards for best screenplay in…
First Hungarian sci-fi feature aims for winter release
In an unusual move, a group of young filmmakers has completed principal photography on the self-financed Lines of Destiny, Hungary's first-ever sci-fi feature, and is readying it for a year-end…
Saviours Square in competition for European Film Awards
Saviour's Square, a film by Joanna Kos-Krauze and Krzysztof Krauze, qualified as the sole Polish production among 42 films selected by the European Film Academy (www.europeanfilmacademy.org) for this year's European…
Lost Holiday video resurfaces as documentary film
A special preview is planned today in Prague for Lost Holiday, a unique Czech detective story about global communication which won a Crystal Globe at this year's Karlovy Vary International…
Four million euro pledged for Hungarian docs
Hungary's Motion Picture Foundation (www.mmka.hu), the state film fund, and Duna Television (www.dunatv.hu), the country's leading cultural channel, have pledged to add 100 million forints (€4 million) to fund documentaries…
First Estonian entry picks up main Venice prize
To the delight of the Estonian film community, the country's first-ever entry in the Venice Biennale's official lineup, Autumn Ball by debutant director Veiko Õunpuu, walked away with the main…
Polish Film Institute celebrates success in Venice
The Polish Film Institute is celebrating in Venice this year with five of the films it backed being selected for screening in the Biennale.
