Prague IFF 2022 Program Tips: Films for Connoisseurs

RHINO

In the 1990s in an industrial town in Ukraine, there's a young man nicknamed Rhino. From an aggressive troublemaker, he became a violent criminal who quickly rose through the ranks of a crime gang operating in the post-Soviet society. However on his path, he suffers some cruel losses. Will Rhino redeem himself before it is too late? Rhino premiered in the Orizzonti section in Venice and won two awards at the Stockholm festival. This latest film by Ukrainian director Oleh Sentsov premieres at the Prague IFF.

The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic

Jaakko is a blind man who moves in a wheelchair and all his days are the same: his phone reminds him to take his pills, then he listens to his favorite movies, calls his relatives and most importantly, a girl called Sirpa, whom he likes the best. One day, an event in their relationship spurs Jaakko to undertake a journey of many hours on his own to finally meet Sirpa in person. This audiovisually mesmerizing with elements of comedy attracted much attention at its premiere in the Orizzonti section at the Venice festival where it won the Audience Award.

Other Cannibals

A strong debut inspired by an overheard emotional conversation by two middle-aged men. The protagonists attempt to break the oldest human taboo – cannibalism. In a remote mountain valley which is slowly succumbing to the growth of industrial cities, the two men are trying to come to terms with the decision they've made and which is propelling them towards radical consequences. This film looks into the depth of the abyss of the human mind while mixing deranged comedy with Western and existential drama and has won the best debut award at the Tallin Black Nights Film Festival. The Prague IFF presents Other Cannibals in its main competition category accompanied by its director Francesco Sossai.

Great Freedom

Hans Hoffmann doesn't expect much from his life in post-ward West Germany where the repressive regime considers him a criminal, because he is gay, and repeatedly sends him to prison. However, to love is a right Hans isn't willing to give up. A subtle romantic drama won the Jury Award in the Un Certain Regard section in Cannes. This Austrian film was shortlisted for an Academy Awards nomination and won awards for cinematography and music at the European Film Awards where it was also nominated for Franz Rogowski's acting.

Last Film Show

After 9-year-old Samay falls in love with the art of film projection, he spends every day in the projection cabin. However rather than undertake imaginary travels with Indian heroes, he should be helping his family in the countryside. Will Samay manage to explain his passion to his parents, so that he can follow his dream? Last Film Show was the runner-up in the audience award at the New York Tribecca festival and won at Vallodolid.