News archive / News detail
16.05.2005
Czech-Polish-Slovak Pavilion in Cannes – a friendly meeting place
Prague, 16 May 2005 – Czech Film Center in co-operation with the Poles (represented by Independent Film Foundation and Polish Television) and Slovaks (represented by the Slovak Film Institute and the Slovak Audiovisual Producers’ Association) have opened “Pavilion No 3 – 3 countries from the Heart of Europe” for the second year in a row at the international film festival in Cannes.The pavilion’s program kicked off on Friday, May 13, 2005 with a traditional welcome drink organized together with the representatives of Polish and Slovak cinematography. It was attended by more than 50 guests from the ranks of journalists, producers, distributors, and sellers.
“The pavilion’s modern design has met with positive feedback,“ says CFC’s director Jana Černík, who adds, “Compared to last year, the pavilion is 50% bigger, with an area of 75 m˛ and a terrace of the same size. The pavilion is attracting dozens of visitors every day. Czech cinematography still has a good reputation abroad. We’re fielding questions about what’s going on in Czech film today from all sides.”
Almost forty producers, distributors, sellers, and other film professionals from companies such as Barrandov Studio, Česká Produkční, BIOSCOP, Negativ, Dawson, Bontonfilm, AQS, CinemArt, and others have come to Cannes from the Czech Republic.
Petr Zempliner of AQS, which is presenting its new project with Bioscop, director Jiří Menzel’s I Served the King of England, says, “The pavilion’s an excellent place where producers can get together, have a good cup of coffee. It’s also a convenient meeting point where we can always be found and contacted. For me, that’s the main sense of the pavilion.”
On Sunday, May 15, 2005, Film Commission presented the first Czech Production Guide, which offers complete information on filming in the Czech Republic. “For people from abroad it’s an important source of information on the possibilities of filming in the Czech Republic, which was missing here till now. The information found in the guide is in high demand. People are clearly aware of the Czech film tradition. Foreign producers are interested in meeting Czech producers, in part because of the possibility of co-productions, but also because they want to make contacts and hear their experiences. Beyond that, they’re interested in Czech locations,” says Film Commission Director Ludmila Claussová.
Appearing in the official festival section Cinefondation will be the FAMU student films Conscience by director Jan Bohuslav and Slávek the Shit by director Grimúr Hákonarson, a co-production with the Czech Republic, Iceland, and Estonia.
At the festival’s market, Marché du Film, four Czech films will be screened: Velvet Killers, Novel for Women, King of Thieves, and Up and Down.
Also launched on Friday, May 13 was the European Film Promotion program Producers on the Move, which features from the Czech Republic producer Helena Uldrichová from Barrandov Studio. Like Shooting Star assists actors in Berlin, Producers on the Move helps European producers establish contacts and provides opportunities for consulting on their projects.
