At the 17th Beldocs Festival in Belgrade, taking place from May 22nd to May 29th, 2024, a selection titled “Focus Czech: Echo Ji.hlava” will be presented. This selection showcases the best contemporary Czech documentaries featured at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival in the Czech Republic. This program is realized in collaboration with the Ji.hlava Festival and the Czech Center in Belgrade.
“Beldocs is part of the global family of festivals, and we are always pleased to collaborate with colleagues from abroad. Ji.hlava is one of the most significant documentary film festivals globally, and the contemporary Czech documentary school is one of the most exciting, as evidenced by numerous Czech films screened at Beldocs,” stated Mara Prohaska Marković, director of Beldocs.
One of the showcased films is “Czech Dream,” a documentary from 2004 by Vita Klusak and Filip Remunda. The filmmakers staged and documented an art hoax through the promotion of a fake supermarket, conveying a message about the negative consequences of consumerism and the power of advertising. This film was a major European hit at the time, drawing attention to Czech documentary filmmaking. It will be screened at Beldocs in 35mm format.
Johana Ožvold’s debut film “The Sound Is Innocent” from 2019 provides an overview of the development of electronic music artfully paralleling the visionary composers it discusses in terms of originality of form.
Director Nikola Klinger, known for the film “La Reine” (2023), captures the life of Ian, a bohemian and former drug addict living in southern France. Through Ian’s memories and everyday life scenes, the film delves into questions of freedom, nature, medicinal plants, and the human community.
Klara Tasovska’s film “I’m Not Everything I Want to Be” (2024) is a documentary portrait of Czech photographer Libuše Jarcovjakova. The progressive ideas and unconventional life of this artist are depicted through a series of her photographs.
Jan Hušek’s “Bedwetter” (2023) explores contemporary society’s attitude towards masculinity. Drawing on his own experiences and stories of significant male figures from his life, the director investigates the alleged crisis of masculinity in a system where men still hold privileged positions.
Director duo Ivan Ostrohovski and Pavol Pekarčik’s film “Photophobia” (2023) depicts the reality of a Ukrainian family hiding from bombings in metro station tunnels.
The film “Is There Any Place For Me, Please?” (2023) by director Jarmila Štukova illustrates the life of Martina, whose face and body were severely burned by her ex-boyfriend’s acid attack. Trying to move forward after the traumatic event, she learns to cope with the loss of her external beauty and seeks new horizons.
About Beldocs
Beldocs, one of the leading international documentary film festivals in this part of Europe, takes place annually in May in Belgrade. Founded in 2008, it features 12 program segments and organizes over 100 premieres every year during the eight days of the festival, screened at more than 7 locations. The Beldocs Festival awards 6 prizes in four competitive programs. Apart from film screenings, it organizes numerous panels and Master Class lectures, and within its Industry activities, it awards cash prizes for the development of future films. Every year, it gathers over 150 international experts in the audio-visual industry, authors, and producers. Beldocs Film Festival is supported by over 200 partners in Serbia, the region, and Europe. A creative team of over 20 members organizes the Beldocs festival, including experts in film, design, and art. Since 2017, Beldocs has been a partner in European projects: #europeanfilmchallenge, AVA Doc, Moving Cinema, Young4Film, and is a member of the European Documentary Network.
More information at www.beldocs.rs.
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