32nd Days of European Film

Competition

Best Film Debut

They are breaking down the old order and claiming their word. Bold films from the emerging generation of filmmakers make up the DEF's competition programme for the best European debut of the year. It will be selected by a jury composed of: Antonie Formanová, Joanna Łapińska, Katalin Moldovai, Jiří Konečný, and Pavel Sladký.

Jury

Films in competition

Travel Essentials

Lesson Learned

The New Year That Never Came

Poison

Bring Them Down

Toxic

Winter In Sokcho

Award

Glass cylinder decorated with engraving and sandblasting is casted from sodium-potassium crystal with Sliperite electroplating.

Sharp cut mark in the smooth cylinder symbolizes the author’s “first notch”. The first impression… A quality work leaves a mark.

The author of the film awards for the 32nd Days of European Film is Zdeněk Vacek.

Photo: Petra Hajská

Best Film & Music Film

The Film & Music competition section highlights the power of two artistic disciplines and their ability to appeal to human emotions and passions worldwide. Images, tones and melodies set the rhythm for the avant-garde-oriented section, documentaries and feature films in which music plays a leading role. The winner will be selected this year by a jury composed of: Jana Kománková, Anežka Horová a Milan Cais.

Jury

Films in competition

Diva Futura

The Flamenco Guitar Of Yerai Cortés

Heavier Trip

The End

The Extraordinary Miss Flower

Award

Glass cylinder decorated with engraving and sandblasting is casted from sodium-potassium crystal with Sliperite electroplating.

The award for experimental music film engraved with lines that refer to vinyl recordings and to an experimental era when sound was recorded in analogue matter.

The author of the film award for the 32nd European Film Days is Zdeněk Vacek.

Photo: Petra Hajská

Partners

The End

2024 148 min.

A sci-fi musical set in an underground bunker, where a wealthy family is waiting out an ecological disaster that took place on the surface of the earth. But one day, an unknown girl comes down to the bunker and disrupts the fragile balance. Starring Tilda Swinton and Michael Shannon.

Festivals: San Sebastian

Sections: Film & Music

Country: Denmark / USA / Ireland / Germany

Directed by: Joshua Oppenheimer

Starring: Michael Shannon, Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, Lennie James, Tim McInnerny, Bronagh Gallagher, Moses Ingram, Danielle Ryan

Language: English with Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Poison

Poison - Eine Liebesgeschichte

2024     86 min.

Tim Roth and Trine Dyrholm meet after years at the cemetery where their young son is buried. A star-studded, intimate, yet highly emotional drama about long-term mourning and sadness and the need to overcome it.

Sections: First time

Country: Luxembourg / Netherlands / Germany

Directed by: Désirée Nosbusch

Starring: Tim Roth, Trine Dyrholm

Language: English with Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Edison Filmhub

Th    03.04.    8:45 p.m.

Buy

Šumperk - Kino Oko

Su    13.04.    7:15 p.m.

Buy

Poison

Bring Them Down

Bring Them Down

2024     105 min.

A harsh thriller set in a pastoral region where old family grievances bubble up. Barry Keoghan, Christopher Abbott and Colm Meaney star in this brutally impressive, low-budget debut about two feuding families.

Festivals: Toronto

Sections: First time

Country: Ireland

Directed by: Chris Andrews

Starring: Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meaney, Nora-Jane Noone, Paul Ready, Aaron Heffernan, Susan Lynch, Conor MacNeill, Youssef Quinn

Language: English with Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Světozor

Th    03.04.    6:15 p.m.

Buy

Brno - Kino Art

Su    06.04.    8:30 p.m.

Buy

Ostrava - Minikino

Tu    15.04.    8 p.m.

Buy

Bring Them Down

The Extraordinary Miss Flower

The Extraordinary Miss Flower

2024     73 min.

A stylized concert documentary with Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini, who has already inspired new songs from a suitcase of letters to Geraldine Flower from the 60s and 70s. From the creators of the documentary Nick Cave: 20,000 Days on Earth. The Australian musician also has a role in the film.

Festivals: BFI London

Sections: Film & Music

Country: Great Britain

Directed by: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard

Starring: Emilíana Torrini, Caroline Catz, Angus Sampson, Richard Ayoade, Alice Lowe, Nick Cave, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Mark Monero

Language: English with Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Edison Filmhub

Sa    05.04.    9:30 p.m.

Buy

Hodonín - Kino Svět

We    09.04.    5:45 p.m.

Buy

Šumperk - Kino Oko

Sa    12.04.    7:45 p.m.

Buy

The Extraordinary Miss Flower

Toxic

Akiplėša

2024     99 min.

A strong, uncompromising debut about two teenage girls who are trying to escape the bleakness of their hometown and dream of a future in modeling, shows the current theme of young people and their fragile relationship with their bodies.

Festivals: Locarno, Debut Award

Sections: First time

Country: Lithuania

Directed by: Saulé Bliuvaité

Starring: Giedrius Savickas, Ieva Rupeikaite, Raimondas Klezys, Jekatěrina Makarova

Language: Lithuanian with English and Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Side event (only for selected shows)

05.04. 6:30 p.m.

Prague - Edison Filmhub

06.04. 6 p.m.

Prague - Edison Filmhub

07.04. 7 p.m.

Prague - Edison Filmhub

08.04. 6 p.m.

Prague - Edison Filmhub

04.04. 9 p.m.

Prague - Edison Filmhub

Uncompromising film critic, music and festival dramaturg, presenter of the radio podcast Čelisti and leading psychosomatician Aleš Stuchlý has been leading a successful curatorial block of healing screenings called Mental Hygiene for the fifth year. Top films with insightful introductions and maximum side effects, the possibility of a personal therapeutic session after the closing credits in the form of heated discussions with fresh guests, all in his home theatre, Edison Filmhub.

DEF 2025 // 4. – 8. 4. 2025 // Mental Hygiene at Edison Filmhub

➡︎ Friday, April 4, 9:00 PM: Michel Gondry's Video Clips // host: Martin Hrnčíř + DJ party

➡︎ Saturday, April 5, 6:30 PM: Bird, dir: Andrea Arnold (UK) // host: Martin Pleštil

➡︎ Sunday, April 6, 6:00 PM: Hard Truths, dir: Mike Leigh (UK) // host: Vít Schmarc

➡︎ Monday, April 7, 7:00 PM: The New Year that Never Came // guest on Zoom: director Bogdan Mureşanu // (Romania)

➡︎ Tuesday April 8, 18.00: TOXIC // guest on Zoom: director Saulė Bliuvaitė // (Lithuania)

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Edison Filmhub     + Events

Tu    08.04.    6 p.m.

Buy

Brno - Kino Art

Mo    07.04.    6 p.m.

Buy

Ostrava - Minikino

Mo    14.04.    4 p.m.

Buy

Toxic

Travel Essentials

Rzeczy niezbędne

2024     105 min.

Ada, an American journalist of Polish origin, arrives in Europe and is confronted with her past. The complex narrative is an excellent starting point for a discussion of the still suppressed topic of sexual abuse of young girls in Poland.

Festivals: Gdynia, Special Mention among Debuts

Sections: First time

Country: Poland / Germany

Directed by: Kamila Tarabura

Starring: Dagmara Domińczyk, Katarzyna Warnke, Małgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Andrzej Konopka, Karol Pocheć, Piotr Żurawski, Anja Antonowicz, Peter Lohmeyer

Language: Polish with English and Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Světozor

Su    06.04.    6 p.m.

Buy

Brno - Kino Art - Small stage

Mo    14.04.    5:45 p.m.

Buy

Vrchlabí - Kino KARTONKA 1904

We    09.04.    7:30 p.m.

Buy

Šumperk - Kino Oko

Su    13.04.    5 p.m.

Buy

Travel Essentials

Winter In Sokcho

Hiver à Sokcho

2024     104 min.

The peaceful days of a young girl, Soo-ha (Bella Kim), working at a hotel in the coastal Korean city of Sokcho, are disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious Frenchman (Roschdy Zem). Who is he? Did he come because of her? An impressive, sensitive and slightly melancholic film in which live scenes blend with animated ones.

Festivals: Toronto, San Sebastian

Sections: First time

Country: France

Directed by: Koya Kamura

Starring: Roschdy Zem, Bella Kim, Park Mi-hyeon

Language: French and Korean with English and Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Edison Filmhub

Tu    08.04.    8:30 p.m.

Buy

Ostrava - Minikino

We    16.04.    5 p.m.

Buy

Vrchlabí - Kino KARTONKA 1904

Tu    15.04.    7:30 p.m.

Buy

Winter In Sokcho

Lesson Learned

Fekete pont

2024     119 min.

A social drama set in a Hungarian elementary school where little Palkó has moved from Germany. While Palkó has a hard time adjusting to the local regime, young teacher Juci tries to change the school's ways.

Awards: Locarno, Best Actress Award (cineastei del presente)

Sections: First time

Country: Hungary

Directed by: Bálint Szimler

Starring: Anna Mészöly, Attila Papp, Gábor Ferenczi, Eszter Márton, Erika Marozsán, Ildikó Lökös

Language: Hungarian with English and Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Světozor - Small stage

We    02.04.    6:15 p.m.

Buy

Brno - Kino Art

Fr    04.04.    8:30 p.m.

Buy

Ostrava - Minikino

Tu    15.04.    5 p.m.

Buy

Lesson Learned

Diva Futura

Diva futura

2024     128 min.

Riccardo Schicci (Pietro Castellitto) founds the Diva Futura agency, which turns the idea of free hippie love into the golden age of Italian porn. The media influence of Schicci's activities, also thanks to the rise of private television channels, is so significant in Italian society that he gets porn star Ilona Staller, known as Cicciolina, into parliament. The brisk retro brings a sense of freedom of the eighties and nineties while raising an all-seeing finger at society.

Festivals: Venice Competition

Sections: Film & Music

Country: Italy

Directed by: Giulia Louise Steigerwalt

Starring: Denise Capezza, Lidija Kordić, Barbara Ronchi, Pietro Castellitto, Tesa Litvan, Davide Iachini, Beatrice Puccilli, Marco Iermanò, Paolo Ricci

Language: Italian with English and Czech subtitles

Program

Prague - Světozor

Sa    05.04.    8:30 p.m.

Buy

Brno - Kino Art - Small stage

Th    03.04.    8:15 p.m.

Buy

Jablonec n. N. - Kino Junior

Sa    12.04.    7 p.m.

Buy

Diva Futura

The Flamenco Guitar Of Yerai Cortés

La guitarra flamenca de Yerai Cortés

2024     95 min.

A stylized documentary about flamenco guitarist Yerai Cortes, which mainly deals with the colourful family history: his parents sold hashish, for which the father then went to prison instead of raising the little boy. A remarkable musical debut by Antón Álvarez, better known as rapper C. Tangana.

Awards: San Sebastian, Goya Award Best Documentary

Sections: Film & Music

Country: Spain

Directed by: Anton Alvarez

Starring: Yerai Cortés, Farruquito, C. Tangana

Language: Spanish with English and Czech subtitles

Program

Prague - Světozor - Small stage

Fr    04.04.    8 p.m.

Buy

Šumperk - Kino Oko

Fr    11.04.    7:30 p.m.

Buy

Vrchlabí - Kino KARTONKA 1904

Sa    12.04.    7:30 p.m.

Buy

The Flamenco Guitar Of Yerai Cortés

Heavier Trip

Heavier Trip

2024     96 min.

Heavy metal band Impaled Rektum escapes from prison to play at a big festival. And at the same time, save their childhood home. Musical comedy and sequel to the film Heavy Trip!

Sections: Film & Music

Country: Finland / Belgium / Germany

Directed by: Juuso Laatio, Jukka Vidgren

Starring: Johannes Holopainen, Max Ovaska, Chike Ohanwe, Samuli Jaskio, Anatole Taubman, David Bredin, Martti Syrjä, Mats Eldøen, Helén Vikstvedt, Sinikka Mokkila

Language: Finnish and English with English and Czech subtitles

Supported by:

Program

Prague - Edison Filmhub

We    02.04.    9:30 p.m.

Buy

Brno - Kino Art - Small stage

Tu    08.04.    8:15 p.m.

Buy

Heavier Trip

Jiří Konečný

JIŘÍ KONEČNÝ a film producer whose films have been screened at many international festivals, including Berlinale, Cannes and Venice and have won over 100 awards, including the Golden, Silver and Crystal Bears at the Berlinale. Nine of his films have been selected as national Oscar candidates. He is a member of the European Film Academy (EFA), the Czech Film and Television Academy (ČFTA) and the Slovak Film and Television Academy (SFTA). He is a member of the board of directors of the Czech Association of Audiovisual Producers (APA), a member of the praesidium of the Czech Film and Television Academy (ČFTA) and teaches at FAMU in Prague. His films include Everything Will Be, The Old Men, The Bad Pitch or Stupid Porn, Every Minute of Life, The Borders of Love, 107 Mothers or Here Havel, Can You Hear Me?

Antonie Formanová

ANTONIE FORMANOVÁ graduated from DAMU, Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre. She started in front of the cameras by acting in student films and has had significant roles in the television films Dukla 61 (2018) and Ballad of a Pilot (2018). For her debut on the silver screen in the role of Milada in the film Occupation (2021), she won the most prestigious domestic award, the Czech Lion, for 2021. She also appeared in the film Borders of Love (2022) by Polish director Tomasz Wiński. We saw her for the first time in a leading role in the miniseries Daughter of the Nation (2024). She is currently a member of the Dejvický Theatre troupe. She is also actively involved in improvisation, puppetry and movement theatre.

Joanna Łapińska

Joanna Łapińska is the Artistic Director of the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia. Joanna is also a member of the European Film Academy, for over 20 years professionally active in the field of film, organising festivals and consulting film projects. Between 2002 and 2016, she was a Board Member of the New Horizons Association, the main organiser of the festival, performing the function of the artistic director of the festival. Since September 2016, Joanna Łapińska has been the Programme Director of Transatlantyk Festival, she worked also as an expert for the Polish Film Institute, the Masovia Warsaw Film Commission and the Łodź Film Commission. She has cooperated with numerous festivals sitting on the jury and also as workshops leader and panels participant.

Joanna Łapińska has worked with the Polish Film Festival in Gdynia since 2021 as an Film Industry program coordinator. Since 2023 she has been Artistic Director.

Pavel Sladký

PAVEL SLADKÝ is a film critic and cultural publicist. He studied Bohemian studies at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, and journalism at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University. He collaborates with Czech Radio and publishes texts in magazines such as Cinepur, Film a doba, and Aktuálně.cz, ČTart.cz. He also prepares a podcast about cinematography for Film a doba. He is a member of the Association of Czech Film Critics and the international federation FIPRESCI, and he collaborates with Czech film festivals as a dramaturg and masterclass presenter. He is the author of the book Film is the secret door to reality. 10 essential directors of today – portraits and interviews.

Katalin Moldovai

KATALIN MOLDOVAI was born in Transilvania, Romania. At the Sapientia Transylvanian Hungarian University in Cluj-Napoca she finished her BA degree in 2013 in Film – Foto - Media studies. She continued her studies in Hungary at the Budapest Metropolitan University, where she earned her MA degree in Television and Film directing in 2017. During this period she directed short movies, mainly fiction. Her short AS UP TO NOW (2019) was nominated for a Cinefondation award at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival. Her feature debut, WITHOUT AIR (2023) was presented at 48. Toronto Film Festival, has won more than 20 awards, among them the competition First Time at the festival Days of European Film in 2024.

Milan Cais

MILAN CAIS graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague in 1999. He works in sculpture, installation, scenography, drawing, painting and video. Since 1988, he has been a singer, drummer, composer, lyricist, artist and producer in the band Tata Bojs. He has recorded ten regular albums with the band, for which the band has received the annual Anděl award ten times and numerous other awards.

Jana Kománková

JANA KOMÁNKOVÁ is a Czech journalist and radio presenter. She worked for Rock & Pop as an editor and later as deputy editor-in-chief. Since 1993, she has been a presenter on the Prague independent station Radio 1, where she broadcasts weekly. She conducts interviews and selects music for the programs she hosts. She runs the website Proti šedi and is the author of several books on music and culture. She organizes discussions with radio personalities and occasionally plays as a DJ. She knits. She is currently working on the book Czechs in Berlin.

Anežka Horová

ANEŽKA HOROVÁ is a multimedia artist, director and photographer. She graduated from the MA program at the Department of the Center for Audiovisual Studies at FAMU. She works as a commercial photographer, videographer, and independent audiovisual artist. She focuses on producing video works for the fashion and music industries, which she combines with her authorial invention. She has primarily dealt with environmental themes in her work – the aestheticization of the relationship between humans and living nature.