Prague, 26 February 2013 – The festival presents films featuring strong personal stories, unbiased observation of life in little-known areas or the work of engaged and controversial documentarians. The following example of three movies on the festival programme illustrates the diversity of stories shown: The South Korean dramatic documentary Across Land, Across Sea by Hark-Joon Lee portraits a courageous North Korean refugee and his endeavor to reunite his divided family by setting off on a journey on a fishing boat through the dangerous international waters of the Yellow Sea. Rent a Family Inc. by Kaspar Schröder documents a strange new business growing in Japan – renting out family members, friends or colleagues to help other people hide their secrets and make their life look better of just... perfectly normal. Norwegian documentary Breavehearts originalyaimed to follow the preparations for the student election campaign and capture the essence of the acclaimed political culture of Norway. But the tragedy of Anders Breivik´s attack, that took place in Utøya Island throughout the filming, shifted the documentary and its topic. Unexpectedly strong portrait of a peaceful reaction of Norwegian society to the extremism and the traumatic experience in summer of 2011 is indeed inspiring. This makes the film strongly connected with this year’s festival topic, which is focused on growing intolerance and discrimination tendencies in the society. That is why the film has been selected as an opening movie of One World 2013.
“It is as if intolerance and the drawing of lines have become a norm, spread with confidence by the political elite, as we witnessed recently in the fiery presidential campaigns of some candidates. Equally dangerous are sentences of the type “I’m not a racist, but … ,” which we frequently hear expressed on the street, by our friends and sometimes, to our surprise, by ourselves. If we at least become aware of our attitudes, then this year’s One World will have fulfilled its purpose.Our motto this year is Don’t be afraid of EGGality. I’m sure you’ll agree that respect and openness towards others offers the best starting point to a more egalitarian and positive future”, says the festival directorHana Kulhánková.
Among outstanding films of this year’s annual can be mentioned: Radioman – a documentary with extremely high appearance of Hollywood stars portraying the life of a former homeless who enjoys a personal relationship with George Clooney, Meryl Streep or Johnny Depp; Saving Face –an Oscar winning documentary of 2012 portraying victims of acid attacks in Pakistan; We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists – a documentary mapping the little-known background of internet activist group known as Anonymous; and Off Label on human drug testing by famous filmmakers Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher, known as well for their work in advertising and music videos.
In addition, the festival offers debates and meetings with over one hundred guests – filmmakers and protagonists. The audience can look forward to Q&A’s following most of the screenings and a dozen of panel debates held at the Institute Francais.
Thefestival Info Point is located at Lucerna cinema. Other festival cinemas and venues include Světozor, Atlas, Institute Francais, Municipal Library (Grand Hall), Ponrepo and Evald. The festival Press Centre and Guest Service are located at the Centre of People in Need at Langhans, Vodičkova 37.
The comprehensive festival programme is available at www.jedensvet.cz. Photos, festival key visual and press releases can be downloaded from the Press section.
Available at the festival venues box offices from 26 February 2012, tickets to the Prague screenings are sold for CZK 90; the festival pass (2 films a day; 3 films at the weekend) costs CZK 440.
For more information, please contact:
Jiří Sulženko - Media Coordinator
M: +420 739 320 644
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Festival Highlights
This year’s opening film is Bravehearts by Kari Anne Moe. The director’s original aim was to capture the essence of the political scene in Norway against the background of student elections. However, in midsummer 2011, the stories of four active students are impacted by the self-styled “defender of European traditions” Anders Breivik, who murders dozens of young members of the Norwegian Labour Party on the island of Utøya. One of those who narrowly escaped the rampaging murderer was Johanne. Like the rest of Norway, she finds coming to terms with the shocking experience immensely difficult.
One World 2013 will host the world premieres of three Czech documentaries: Vojta Lavička: Ups and Downs by Helena Třeštíková – a portrait of the life of a Romany musician and journalist Vojta Lavička screened in the Main Competition and introduced by the director herself on 11 March 2013; Phenomenon /The Soul Solace of Yuri Petrovich/ by Zdeňek N. Bričkovský – a portrait of the seventy-year-old recluse Yuri Petrovich of Siberia screened in the world premiere on 8 March 2013; and Crooks by Sylvie Dymáková – a documentary about shocking practices at product demonstration excursions for seniors will be screened on 5 March 2013, one month prior to its official distribution premiere.
The festival is also hosting the world premiere of Glacial Balance by Ethan Steinman – a documentary pointing out the fact that due to climate change the ice mass in South America has shrunk by about a third in the last 40 years and it is disappearing ever more quickly. The film was co-funded by the crowdsourcing platform Kickstarter.
Programme Tips
Panel Debates
The festival audience can discuss the controversial and up-to-date topics with the festival guests in panel debates that are held every day after the film screening of 7:30 PM at the Institut Francais. In the first panel debate, a famous Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez (see below) will discuss the impact of new media on democratisation of the society; the second panel debate will host this year’s laureate of the Homo Homini award Intigam Aliyev showing the dark side of Azerbaijan; among other debates there is one bringing People in Need representatives who have witnessed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria where the organization currently works as the only large humanitarian agency. http://www.jedensvet.cz/2013/panelove-debaty
East Doc Platform
During One World, the Institute of Documentary Film organizes East Doc Platform, a second edition of international film industry meeting. The events share some of their guests: Russian director Marina Razbezhkina, Danish producer Helle Faber and Austrian director Arash T. Riahi have their films screened at the festival and give public lectures for the East Doc Platform. The sessions are held at Archa Theatre and Archa Palace. http://bit.ly/YLoQA1
Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez at One World Festival
Touring the world, Yoani Sánchez stops by in Prague during the festival. Listed by Time magazine as one of the world's 100 most influential people in 2008, the activist is also one of three protagonists of the Forbidden Voices documentary screened at One World. Yoani fights the Cuban totalitarian regime by publishing her Generation Y blog and Twitter posts. Her Twitter account @yoanisanchez is followed by 400 thousand people.
One World in Schools
One World approaches thousands of school pupils and students through its One World in Schools programme. This year, the festival expects 14 thousand pupils, students and teachers registered for the Prague screenings. For more information, please visit www.jsns.cz/festival.
One World 2013 in Numbers
The festival presents 102 documentary films and two special screenings from 30 national productions. In ten festival days, the Prague audience can visit 60 different countries from around the world. One World’s audience reaches over 100 thousand every year. In 2013, the One World films will be screened in Prague, another 40 Czech towns, Brussels and at over a dozen of countries where the Echoes of One World will be presented in cooperation with the Czech Centres.
One World 2013 Guests
We will be happy to organize an interview with any of our festival guests. The dates the directors/protagonists are available for a Prague interview are listed in the brackets.
Daniel Abma, Director, Germany, Beyond Wriezen (8 March 2013 (afternoon) – 9 March 2013)
Daniel Abma (1978, Netherlands) has been studying film directing with a focus on documentaries at the University of Film and Television "Konrad Wolf" in Potsdam, Germany (since 2008); Beyond Wriezen documents the life of young people released from Wriezen prison.
Reda Al-Fardan, Translator, Bahrain, Bahrain: The Forbidden Country (8 March (evening) – 9 March 2013)
A Bahrain activist, Reda Al-Fardan runs the website www.bahrainwatch.com. Bahrain: The Forbidden Country documents the revolution and civil activism in Bahrain.
Nahed Awwad, Director, Germany/Palestine, Gaza Calling (11 March 2013 (evening) – 12 March 2013)
A Palestinian director of eight documentaries and a film editor, Nahed Awwad works as an editor for television networks and film companies. Gaza Calling documents the life and communication of a divided family with some family members living in the West Bank and some in Gaza.
Caroline Bâcle, Director, Canada, Lost Rivers (10-11 March 2013)
A Canadian director, Caroline Bâcle is the author of Lost Rivers documenting the attempt to return buried water flows back to the surface.
Zdeněk Novotný Bričkovský, Director, Czech Republic, Phenomenon /The Soul Solace of Yuri Petrovich/ (9 March 2013)
A Czech documentarian, Zdeněk Novotný Bričkovský shoots films documenting the life of old and little-known nations living in the North near the Polar Circle and in the European part of the Russian Federation.
Lidia Duda, Director, Poland, Entangled (9-10 March 2013)
A director and screenwriter, Lidia Duda is the author of around fifty feature, documentary and TV films. Entangled documents the life of a paedophilic and his victim – although clearly defined in paedophilic cases, the roles of victim and culprit can switch with time; sexually abused by his neighbour in his childhood, the main protagonist – a teenager now –twice takes his revenge on the neighbour.
Helle Faber, Producer, Denmark, Putin´s Kiss (4-7 March 2013)
A producer of Putin’s Kiss documenting the Russian “Nashi” pro-government mass movement, Helle Faber is an owner of the production company Made in Copenhagen and a producer of award-winning films Dark Side of Chocolate (2010), Shanghai Space (2009), and Enemies of Happiness (2006).
Tone Grøttjord, Producer, Norway, Bravehearts, (4-5 March 2013)
A Norwegian producer, Tone Grøttjord comes to the festival with Bravehearts – a documentary about four students, candidates of different political partiesstanding for the school elections, whose life gets radically changed after the brutal rampage of Anders Breivik.
Tinatin Gurchiani, Director, Georgia, The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear (9-18 March 2013)
Born in Georgian Tbilisi in 1973, Tinatin Gurchiani is the author of The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear. Awarded the Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival, the film was made in co-operation with the Czech Doc Inkubator project.
Yusuf Guul, Director of Photography, Somalia, The Captain and His Pirate
A Somali director of photography, Yusuf Guul comes to the festival with the German documentary film awarded the Prize of the Youth Jury at Leipzig DOK Festival. The Captain and His Pirate documents the life of a Polish captain of a German cargo ship held hostage by Somali pirates for four months.
Michael Christoffersen, Director, Denmark, Law of the Jungle (10 March 2013)
A Danish director, Michael Christoffersen comes to the festival with Law of the Jungle documenting the life of Peruvian natives and their protests against a Dutch petroleum company destroying the forest.
Marc Isaacs, Director, UK, The Road: A Story of Life and Death (9-10 March 2013)
A renowned British documentarian, Marc Isaacs is the author of over 10 Grierson, Royal Television Society and BAFTA award-winning documentaries for BBC and Channel 4, all previously screened at One World. The Road: A Story of Life and Death documents the life of British immigrants on the example of those living along and travelling on the legendary A5 motorway.
Monique Rachel Isselé, Protagonist, France, Les Invisibles (7 March 2013)
One of the film protagonists, Monique Rachel Isselé comes to the festival with Les Invisibles mapping the life of gays and lesbians born in the first half of the 20th century.
Tom Kirk, Director of Photography, France/Bulgaria, Sofia's Last Ambulance (5-7 March 2013)
A British director of photography domiciled in Bulgaria, Tom Kirk is the co-author of Sofia’s Last Ambulance. The award-winningdocumentary (France 4 Visionary Award – Cannes, Best Documentary award – KVIFF, Silver Dove – Leipzig DOK Festival) documents the desperate situation of an ambulance in Sofia.
Alison Klayman, Director, USA, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (10 March 2013 (evening) – 11 March 2013)
A young US director, Alison Klayman comes to the festival with her debut Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. Awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, the film documents the life of the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Hark-Joon Lee, Sukkee Lee, Director, Producer, South Korea, Across Land, Across Sea (8-11 March 2013)
A South Korean director and a producer come to the festival with Across Land, Across Sea. Nominated for the Emmy Awards, the film documents the life of a refugee setting off on courageous and dangerous escape from North Korea to South Korea.
Tobias Lindner, Director, Germany, Orania (10 March 2013)
A young German Director, Tobias Lindner comes to the festival with Orania documenting the life of well-known Afrikaans community in South Africa and their attempt for independence.
Vitaly Mansky, Director, Russia, Motherland or Death (7-9 March 2013)
A documentary legend and author of fifty award-winning films, Vitaly Mansky is the founder of Art Dok Fest and Laurel, Russia's main documentary prize. His Motherland or Death documents the life in contemporary Cuba.
Yariv Mozer, Director, Israel, The Invisible Men (6-7 March 2013)
An Israeli director, Yariv Mozer comes to the festival with The Invisible Men documenting the life of three Palestinians – gays forced to leave their homes and hide in Tel Aviv.
Florian Opitz, Director, Germany, Speed – In Search of Lost Time (9-10 March 2013)
A German director, Florian Opitz comes to the festival with his Speed – In Search of Lost Time exploring the feeling of constantly playing “catch-up” and being under time constraints, burn-out syndrome and gross national happiness index in Bhutan.
Zuzana Piussi, Director, Slovakia, The Grasp of the State (5-6 March 2013)
A Slovak documentarian co-operating with the Stoka Theatre, Zuzana Piussi is the author of ten award-winning controversial films, including Disease of the Third Power for which she was charged and tired.
Arash T. Riahi, Director, Austria, Everything Will Not Be Fine (8-9 March 2013)
An Austrian director of Iranian origin, Arash T. Riahi is the author of Everyday Rebellion – a multimedia web mapping the non-violent methods of protests and related technologies. Do not miss his master class at the IDF.
Kaspar Astrup Schröder, Director, Denmark, Rent a Family Inc. (9-10 March 2013)
A young Danish artist, Kaspar Astrup Schröder is engaged in graphic design, music and shooting documentaries including a documentary exploring parkour. His latest Rent a Family Inc. focuses on disturbed social relationships in Japan.
Anneloek Sollart, Director, Netherlands, Rawer (8-10 March 2013)
A Dutch journalist and documentarian, comes to the festival with Rawer – a sequel to her documentary Raw of 2008 monitoring a social debate on child care on the example of a mother giving only raw food and home education to her son. Anneloek Sollart comes to the festival together with the film’s director of photography Suzanne van Steenwijk.
Ethan Steinman, Director, USA, Glacial Balance (6-11 March 2013)
A US director living and working in Argentina, Ethan Steinman works in television, film, and commercial production and shoots documentaries. Screened at the festival in the world premiere, Glacial Balance maps the impact of melting glaciers on the population and agriculture.
Vincent Trintignant-Corneau, Christine Chansou, Directors, France, Even a Bird Needs a Nest (6 March 2013 (evening) – 7 March 2013)
A French duo of directors, Vincent Trintignant-Corneau and Christine Chansou come to the festival with their Even a Bird Needs a Nest documenting the impact of globalisation on the natives of Cambodia.
Jaroslav Vojtek, Director, Slovakia, The Gypsy Vote (9-10 March 2013)
A Slovak documentarian, Jaroslav Vojtek focuses on social topics. His The Gypsy Vote documents the story of Vlado Sendrej standing for the communal elections. The music of Sendrej’s band is used in Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie.
Nicolaas Veul or Tim van Besten, Karen Dijk, Directors, Producer, Netherlands, Gay Champions (9-11 March 2013)
Gay Champions documents the illusions of Dutch gays setting off on the Kiev gay pride parade which was cancelled for security reasons.
Hella Wenders, Director, Germany, Berg Fidel (4 March 2013 (afternoon) – 5 March 2013)
A German director, Hella Wenders is the author of Berg Fidel documenting the story of an integrated school.
The Grand Jury
Sawsan Darwaza / Jordan
Theatre, film and television director Sawsan Darwaza is the manager and co-founder of Jordan’s Karama Human Rights Film Festival. She also is the creative director of the Ma3mal 612 Think Factory artistic initiative. Born in Syria, she lived for a long time in Lebanon. She has made documentaries that deal with the Israel-Palestine conflict as well films that offer portraits of Arab artists, intellectuals and activists. She has also produced work reflecting on the war in Iraq. Her films have been presented at many film festivals, winning several awards.
Isabel Arrate Fernandez / Netherlands
Isabel Arrate Fernandez is the director of the IDFA Bertha Fund (previously the Jan Vrijman Fund), where she has worked since 2002. The fund supports documentary makers and film festivals in developing countries. In its 15-year existence, it has developed into an internationally renowned institution with an extensive network throughout the world. As head of IDFA, Fernandez has been a member of several juries and regularly collaborates as a consultant on documentary projects.
Sean McAllister / United Kingdom
Sean McAllister is one of the world’s leading documentary makers. In these works, he portrays people from various parts of the world in critical situations. The most famous works in his filmography include the documentaries Hull's Angel (2002), about Kurdish refugees; The Liberace of Baghdad (2004), about an Iraqi pianist living in a country ravaged by war (which won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance festival); Japan: A Story of Love and Hate (2009); and his latest movie, The Reluctant Revolutionary, in which McAllister depicts the unrest in Yemen and its impact on ordinary people. The latter is being shown at this year’s festival in the Panorama category.
Martina Šantavá / Czech Republic
Martina Šantavá is creative producer with Czech Television’s production group for social affairs and documentaries. In 2007, she joined HBO Czech Republic, where she initially worked on programming before becoming a producer and preparing the company’s own output, particularly feature-length documentary films. She has worked at Czech Television since 2012.
Václav Havel Jury
Světlana Belova / Moldova
Svetlana Belova was born in East Germany, where her parents were serving with Soviet military units. Since 1999 she is focused to social work in the internationally unrecognised Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. She primarily works with children in institutional care and also helps children from divided and socially vulnerable families. In addition to this, she deals with cases of domestic violence and violence in schools.
Karen Davies / United Kingdom
Karen Davies is the UK and Ireland representative of the UN Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) in Brussels. She is also responsible for the activities of the Ciné-ONU initiative, which is striving to use film to improve awareness of UN operations.
Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera / Uganda
The Ugandan queer feminist and lawyer Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera actively fights discrimination against LGBT people in her country and throughout Africa. She now works as the executive director of the organisation Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG), defending the rights of female sexual minorities. She is considered to be an exceptionally inspiring person and she has won several prizes such as the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders.
Emin Milli / Azerbaijan
Emin Milli is an Azerbaijani writer and dissident, who currently lives in Great Britain. In the years 2002-2004, he managed the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and brought more than forty political-prisoner cases in Azerbaijan to the attention of the European Council, thereby helping to secure their release. In 2009, he was sentenced to two and a half years in jail for criticizing the government. After 16 months, he was released thanks to the strong pressure that international institutions put on the government there.
