After nine jam-packed days in Prague, the Czech Republic’s second biggest film festival sets off at the start of April for 14 cities and towns throughout the country.
Febiofest gets underway in the regions on Monday 1 April in České Budějovice and completes its tour with a closing ceremony in Zlín on Thursday 18 April.
In each region the festival offers a different programme shaped by cooperation between the programme department and local cinema operators. The festival’s most popular films in the regions are the pictures for children and young people Mirai, an animated adventure from Japan that was nominated for an Oscar this year, and Mia and the White Lion, which is set in South Africa and is about the unbreakable bond between a young girl and a rare white lion. Another popular film is the biopic Becoming Astrid about Astrid Lindgren, the Swedish author of children’s classics such as the Bullerby Children and Pippi Longstocking books. The documentary Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist presents another impressive woman. Famous designer Vivienne Westwood helped create the punk movement and has been redefining British fashion for 40 years. Free Solo, the Oscar-winning documentary by US filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Febiofest has built on last year’s cooperation with the company Channels, which represents National Geographic CR, and is presenting the documentary free of charge. Cities and towns where They Shall Not Grow Old, by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, is being screened are in for a rare treat. A unique documentary based on WWI footage that has been adapted using modern technology into a breathtaking mosaic, it is not set for a cinema release in this country.
Many pictures whose makers presented them in the Prague section of the festival are also travelling to the regions. A number of cities and towns can look forward to the comedy drama A Faithful Man by the French actor and director Louis Garrel, which has been a major hit at the festival. For his part Marcus H. Rosenmüller came from Germany to introduce The Keeper, his biopic of famous footballer Bert Trautmann.
A number of regional venues will also get to enjoy the winning entry in the New Europe competition, By a Sharp Knife by director Teodor Kuhn, who will be presenting it in person in Mikulov. The Slovak drama inspired by the real-life murder of a student by neo-Nazis has sparked a lively debate in Slovakia. Meanwhile České Budějovice can savour the Culinary Cinema concept when, following a screening of Constructing Albert, guests will be treated to a four-course meal by master chef David Bartáček.
Febiofest in Zlín will close with the final screening of Stan and Ollie, a biopic about comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy directed by Jon S. Baird.
The festival will take place between 1 April and 18 April in the following cities and towns:
České Budějovice 1. – 3. 4. Malá scéna DK Metropol
Hradec Králové 2. – 4. 4. CineStar
Plzeň 2. – 4. 4. Depo2015
Beroun 3. – 5. 4. Kino Beroun
Jihlava 5. – 7. 4. Kino Dukla
Ostrava 8. – 10. 4. Kino Art
Mikulov 9. 4. – 11. 4. Městské kino Mikulov
Kladno 10. – 12. 4. Kino Hutník
Liberec 11. – 13. 4. Kino Varšava
Děčín 12. – 14. 4. Kino Sněžník
Olomouc 15. – 16. 4. Kino Metropol
Uherské Hradiště 16. – 18. 4. Kino Hvězda
Chomutov 17. – 18. 4. Kino Svět
Zlín 16. – 18. 4. Golden Apple Cinema