29TH PRAGUE IFF – FEBIOFEST: THE SIXTH DAY

THIS YEAR’S FEBIOFEST APPROACHES ITS END IN STYLE

This year the red carpet was rolled rolled out in the foyer of Cinema City Slovanský dům for Michael Kocáb (who sat last year on the jury for the Comedy Competition) and the other members of the legendary band Pražský výběr. Febiofest’s “Docs” documentary section was having a premiere screening of the band’s grandiose birthday concert, Pražský výběr: Symphony Bizarre, performed and filmed at Prague’s O2 Arena in 2016.

The film 107 Mothers by Slovak director Peter Kerekes had a gala premiere at Febiofest as well, attended by a delegation of its creators (producers Jiří Konečný and Katarina Tomková, screenwriter Ivan Ostrochovský, and cameraman Havel Parkán). Their sharp-eyed, novel look at motherhood uses a mix of actors and non-actors to blur the borders between documentary and film. This film won Best Screenplay at the Orrizonti competition within the Venice International Film Festival, as well as a directing award in Chicago, and was screened at the San Sebastian IFF as well.

Director Lucia Kajánková and actors Tomáš Dalecký, Vojtěch Franců, and Kanwar Šulc couldn’t miss the screening of Czech Television’s first web series, TBH, in Febiofest’s TV Now and Queer Now sections. TBH already has a lot behind it – it has won a Best Web Series award at Brno’s Serial Killer festival, had a showing within the TV Beats forum at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and competed at Series Mania in Lille.

The exclusive Culinary Cinema night joined the latest cinematic creations with a unique culinary experience. The screening of the documentary The Truffle Hunters, on the collecting and culture of rare white truffles, at Cinema City Slovanský Dům was followed by a themed dinner at Restaurace Obecní Dům. The man behind the delicious four-course menu, dominated of course by truffles, was Marek Fichtner, the chef at Prague’s popular Červený Jelen restaurant. The festival’s traditional master of ceremonies Jolana Voldánová presided over this evening of film and food.

Producer Maksim Leshchanka arrived at the Ponrepo cinema for the screening of the feature-length debut by Ukrainian director Oleksii Taranenko I Work at the Cemetary.