Launching an ambitious program of compelling global and Czech work, the 27th edition of the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival opened on Tuesday, kicking off six days of more than 350 film screenings by veteran and new filmmakers.
Fest head and founder Marek Hovorka, who launched the event in his hometown in 1997, introduced what is now Central and Eastern Europe’s main event for docs, defining the fest mission as “a celebration of films, image, sound, gestures and diversity.”
The films selected this year are “all very original,” he told the opening gala audience, and show filmmakers “perceive the world very differently.”
The fest, raising its curtain in the location that remains its home, the communist-era Dko “house of culture,” as the pre-1989 regime dubbed such multi-purpose spaces, attracts for its launch hundreds of guests seated at white-decked tables, sipping local wine.
Opening night moderators embraced an ironic take on AI,...
Fest head and founder Marek Hovorka, who launched the event in his hometown in 1997, introduced what is now Central and Eastern Europe’s main event for docs, defining the fest mission as “a celebration of films, image, sound, gestures and diversity.”
The films selected this year are “all very original,” he told the opening gala audience, and show filmmakers “perceive the world very differently.”
The fest, raising its curtain in the location that remains its home, the communist-era Dko “house of culture,” as the pre-1989 regime dubbed such multi-purpose spaces, attracts for its launch hundreds of guests seated at white-decked tables, sipping local wine.
Opening night moderators embraced an ironic take on AI,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Will Tizard
- Variety Film + TV
Czech-Swedish filmmaker Greta Stocklassa was only eight when the War on Terror began in 2001. In the years that followed, fellow Swede and former Un weapons inspector, Hans Blix, became a central figure in the investigation into weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. In her documentary “Blix Not Bombs,” Stocklassa interviews Blix, now 94 years old, about the period running up to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq 20 years ago.
In the docu, Blix describes his meetings with George W. Bush and Tony Blair, his frustration when Colin Powell gave his pivotal speech in the Un Security Council, and his feeling of emptiness when the U.S. started the invasion, despite his reports that his team had found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Blix also argues that there was a butterfly effect that the Iraq War triggered: the invasion resulted in the overthrow of the Iraqi regime, and the breakup of the Iraqi army,...
In the docu, Blix describes his meetings with George W. Bush and Tony Blair, his frustration when Colin Powell gave his pivotal speech in the Un Security Council, and his feeling of emptiness when the U.S. started the invasion, despite his reports that his team had found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Blix also argues that there was a butterfly effect that the Iraq War triggered: the invasion resulted in the overthrow of the Iraqi regime, and the breakup of the Iraqi army,...
- 4/25/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
GlobeScreen Auditoriums has taken French rights to “Blix Not Bombs,” a documentary about former Un weapons inspector Hans Blix, who was given the task of looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, in the period running up to the U.S.-led invasion of the country 20 years ago.
The deal was closed by Toronto-based sales agent Syndicado Film Sales, which is also an executive producer on the film.
The film had its world premiere at Copenhagen documentary festival Cph:dox on Monday, the anniversary of the invasion.
In the film, Czech-Swedish filmmaker Greta Stocklassa interviews the Swedish diplomatic, now 94 years old, about what happened in the months leading up to war. He describes his meetings with George W. Bush and Tony Blair, his frustration when Colin Powell gave his pivotal speech in the Un Security Council, and his feeling of emptiness when the U.S. started the invasion, despite his...
The deal was closed by Toronto-based sales agent Syndicado Film Sales, which is also an executive producer on the film.
The film had its world premiere at Copenhagen documentary festival Cph:dox on Monday, the anniversary of the invasion.
In the film, Czech-Swedish filmmaker Greta Stocklassa interviews the Swedish diplomatic, now 94 years old, about what happened in the months leading up to war. He describes his meetings with George W. Bush and Tony Blair, his frustration when Colin Powell gave his pivotal speech in the Un Security Council, and his feeling of emptiness when the U.S. started the invasion, despite his...
- 3/24/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Monday marks the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Cph:dox will reflect on the repercussions of the war, which ousted Saddam Hussein, but never led to the discovery of weapons of mass destruction, by screening two documentaries: Greta Stocklassa’s “Blix Not Bombs” and Karrar Al-Azzawi’s “Baghdad on Fire.”
“(The invasion) was an event that has shaped international politics over the course of the last two decades in unpredictable and often devastating ways,” says Cph:dox head of program Mads Mikkelsen. “Not least inside Iraq itself. (‘Blix Not Bombs’ and ‘Baghdad on Fire’) provide two different takes – a shot and reverse shot – on the course of events back in 2003 and on the current situation in Iraq as seen from the inside and through the eyes of the young.”
“Blix Not Bombs” follows Hans Blix, the former head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission,...
“(The invasion) was an event that has shaped international politics over the course of the last two decades in unpredictable and often devastating ways,” says Cph:dox head of program Mads Mikkelsen. “Not least inside Iraq itself. (‘Blix Not Bombs’ and ‘Baghdad on Fire’) provide two different takes – a shot and reverse shot – on the course of events back in 2003 and on the current situation in Iraq as seen from the inside and through the eyes of the young.”
“Blix Not Bombs” follows Hans Blix, the former head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission,...
- 3/19/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Nick Faldo, and Aaron Judge are among the elite professional athletes who have benefitted from working with a sports psychologist. Now some esports stars are catching onto the idea.
Canadian sales agent Syndicado has acquired worldwide rights to The Gamer, a documentary that revolves around Verneri “Bona” Junkala, a talented 17-year-old Cs:go e-athlete whose goal is to be the best in Finland. Bona always comes in second place in Counterstrike, however, until he begins working with world’s best esports psychologist, Mia. The film directed by Finnish directors Petri Luukkainen and Jesse Jokinen makes its world premiere on Sunday at the prestigious Cph:dox festival in Copenhagen, screening in Nordic:dox competition.
The sessions with Mia set Junkala “on a path to self-discovery to not only become a better player, but a better person,” according to a description of the film. “Unexpectedly, another player and old nemesis from the past,...
Canadian sales agent Syndicado has acquired worldwide rights to The Gamer, a documentary that revolves around Verneri “Bona” Junkala, a talented 17-year-old Cs:go e-athlete whose goal is to be the best in Finland. Bona always comes in second place in Counterstrike, however, until he begins working with world’s best esports psychologist, Mia. The film directed by Finnish directors Petri Luukkainen and Jesse Jokinen makes its world premiere on Sunday at the prestigious Cph:dox festival in Copenhagen, screening in Nordic:dox competition.
The sessions with Mia set Junkala “on a path to self-discovery to not only become a better player, but a better person,” according to a description of the film. “Unexpectedly, another player and old nemesis from the past,...
- 3/18/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Syndicado Film Sales has acquired world rights to “Blix,” director Greta Stocklassa’s documentary about former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix, which is being pitched during Hot Docs Forum, the Toronto fest’s co-production and financing event. The Toronto-based sales agent is also boarding the project as executive producers.
“Blix” follows the former head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, who was sent to Iraq in 2003 to determine whether U.S. suspicions that the country was manufacturing weapons of mass destruction were founded. Though the final report found no evidence of an Iraqi weapons program under Saddam Hussein, the U.S. and a coalition of allies nevertheless decided to invade the country.
Now in the final stretch of his life, living in relative obscurity as a Swedish pensioner, Blix questions whether he did enough to prevent a war whose impact is felt to this day.
“To me,...
“Blix” follows the former head of the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, who was sent to Iraq in 2003 to determine whether U.S. suspicions that the country was manufacturing weapons of mass destruction were founded. Though the final report found no evidence of an Iraqi weapons program under Saddam Hussein, the U.S. and a coalition of allies nevertheless decided to invade the country.
Now in the final stretch of his life, living in relative obscurity as a Swedish pensioner, Blix questions whether he did enough to prevent a war whose impact is felt to this day.
“To me,...
- 5/3/2021
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
We pay tribute to the love affair between Kim Jong-il and American film with a selection of the late, lampooned leader's finest screen moments, from 30 Rock to Team America
The death of Kim Jong-il has ignited many different reactions. Obituary writers have been able to look back on a lifetime of human rights abuses and expert cognac appreciation. Diplomats will look ahead to an uncertain period of transition as his son Kim Jong-un prepares to assume power. And the rest of us? We'll probably just unwittingly spend the day humming I'm So Ronery from Team America.
As an avowed cinephile, Kim Jong-il lived his life through film. He was rumoured to own more than 30,000 American films in his own personal collection; he also once kidnapped a South Korean film-maker to improve the cinema of North Korea, and he apparently banned the John Cusack film 2012 from release over fears that it...
The death of Kim Jong-il has ignited many different reactions. Obituary writers have been able to look back on a lifetime of human rights abuses and expert cognac appreciation. Diplomats will look ahead to an uncertain period of transition as his son Kim Jong-un prepares to assume power. And the rest of us? We'll probably just unwittingly spend the day humming I'm So Ronery from Team America.
As an avowed cinephile, Kim Jong-il lived his life through film. He was rumoured to own more than 30,000 American films in his own personal collection; he also once kidnapped a South Korean film-maker to improve the cinema of North Korea, and he apparently banned the John Cusack film 2012 from release over fears that it...
- 12/19/2011
- by Stuart Heritage
- The Guardian - Film News
The world has been placed on a heightened security alert following reports that New Age terrorists have harnessed the power of homeopathy for evil. ‘Homeopathic weapons represent a major threat to world peace,’ said President Barack Obama, ‘they might not cause any actual damage but the placebo effect could be quite devastating.’
The H2O-bomb has been developed by the radical New Age group, The Axis of Aquarius. In a taped message to the world, their leader, Professor Hubert Pennington, said: ‘For too long the New Age movement has been dismissed as a bunch of beardy weirdy cranks and charlatans. But now we have weapons-grade homeopathy and we demand to be taken seriously.’
Homeopathic bombs are comprised of 99.9% water but contain the merest trace element of explosive. The solution is then repeatedly diluted so as to leave only the memory of the explosive in the water molecules. According to the laws of homeopathy,...
The H2O-bomb has been developed by the radical New Age group, The Axis of Aquarius. In a taped message to the world, their leader, Professor Hubert Pennington, said: ‘For too long the New Age movement has been dismissed as a bunch of beardy weirdy cranks and charlatans. But now we have weapons-grade homeopathy and we demand to be taken seriously.’
Homeopathic bombs are comprised of 99.9% water but contain the merest trace element of explosive. The solution is then repeatedly diluted so as to leave only the memory of the explosive in the water molecules. According to the laws of homeopathy,...
- 5/7/2010
- doorQ.com
Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass team up again for a blistering thriller about the conspiracy over WMDs
Hollywood has made a habit of buying bestselling books on the strength of their catchy titles and then hiring writers to provide them with plots and dialogue. Joseph Heller undertook the task of giving flesh and wit to Helen Gurley Brown's self-help manual Sex and the Single Girl. Woody Allen performed a similar, rather more successful job on Dr David Reuben's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask. Written by the Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone, is an eye-opening account of the blundering operation of the Coalition Provisional Authority in its first year. It was optioned on publication four years ago, and the producers came together with director Paul Greengrass, writer Brian Helgeland...
Hollywood has made a habit of buying bestselling books on the strength of their catchy titles and then hiring writers to provide them with plots and dialogue. Joseph Heller undertook the task of giving flesh and wit to Helen Gurley Brown's self-help manual Sex and the Single Girl. Woody Allen performed a similar, rather more successful job on Dr David Reuben's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask. Written by the Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone, is an eye-opening account of the blundering operation of the Coalition Provisional Authority in its first year. It was optioned on publication four years ago, and the producers came together with director Paul Greengrass, writer Brian Helgeland...
- 3/14/2010
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
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