The biggest number of the 64 projects set to appear in the Czech-English brochure are, as usual, in the first phase, namely development (36 projects), while there are 16 in production and 12 in post-production.

The variety of projects is, like last year, very diverse both in terms of subject matter and genre (the latter includes drama, comedy, tragicomedy, fairy tales, horror, thrillers, fantasy and even a western). Attendees can expect a number of animated features (Alois Nebel, Laika, Hurveenek and the Snowman, Hurveenek and the Movie, Fimfarum - The Third Time Lucky, The Four-Leaf Clover Serving the King, Hus and Those Hussites, Car Fairy Tales, Tales from Gingerland, The Little Fishgirl). There are films set in the normalization period (The ID, One Way Ticket, Eighty Letters, Don't Stop, Lousy Bastards), movies mapping the occupation, World War II and the Holocaust (Lidice, Habermann's Mill, Colette, Terezin Project) and the controversial work telling the Mašín brothers' story (So Far So Good). Newcomers are behind some of the forthcoming films (highly anticipated directorial debut is Václav Havel, also debuts as Tomáš Luňák, Olmo Omerzu, Tobiáš Jirous), as are artists who hit a note with their debuts and are working on their next effort (Tomáš Mašín, Karin Babinská, Mira Fornay, Jan Prušinovský, Tomáš Řehořek, et al). There are also the names of established and well-known directors (Jan Svěrák, Alice Nellis, Jiří Vějdělek, Petr Zelenka, Vladimír Morávek, Jan Švankmajer, Jan Balej, Zdeněk Troška, or acclaimed Polish director Agnieszka Holland and her film adaptation of Karel Čapek's novel The Salamander War).

"The trend that began several years ago is holding steady: the number of comedies, which used to dominate, is shrinking, and historical and contemporary dramas are on the rise. A new generation of filmmakers is emerging, as evidenced by the fact that one third of the projects are debuts. And the number of animated feature films is spiking, which pleases us because it is a genre that has a long tradition of Czech film," Jana Černík of Czech Film Center summarizes the balance of film projects in this year's brochure.

The Panel has traditionally provided a platform for other players in the Czech film industry to inform the public about their latest professional activities or programs. This year will see presentations by MEDIA Desk CZ, the Mid Point educational program focusing on developing screenwriting for international graduate films and Barrandov Studio, which will present its latest foray into the area of co-productions. The event will be moderated by Tomáš Baldýnský.
You can watch the Panel live online starting at 10:30 am on April 23 on:
www.filmcenter.cz, www.avc-cvut.cz and www.filmfestfinale.cz
Streaming provided by Czech Film Center, in collaboration with the Audiovisual Center of Czech Technical University.
More information available at www.filmcenter.cz, where the brochure will also be available for download on Friday, April 23.

Contact:
Daniela Havránková
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
tel.: +420 221 105 398