Discoveries from Slovakia World Cinema

A film about the uncertainties faced by a man in post-Communist Slovakia, his relationship with a teenage son and English teacher girlfriend who's soon to return home to England.

A poetic story about love and happiness between doc and fiction.

The sequel to the hugely successful documentary about the beauty of Slovak nature, featuring Nigel Marven, British wildlife filmmaker, screenwriter, presenter, and adventurer, known worldwide for his distinctive style, innovative programs, and enthusiasm. The sequel to the documentary Wild Nature of Slovakia with Nigel Marven 2 will show Slovak and international viewers that Slovakia is a "hidden gem of Europe" whose biodiversity rivals that of exotic countries around the world, with populations of bears, wolves, lynxes, and many species of birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

The loose sequel to the film "Pásla kone na betóne" returns to the familiar heroes after some time. The communist dictatorship is no longer raging and capitalism is penetrating even the remote corners of Slovakia. As it turns out, however, people don't change much over time, and their joys and worries are still the same. The tragicomic story depicts the vicissitudes of Johanna's new relationship with brewery manager Janko Kvašný, the unhappy marriage of her daughter Paulina and life in the new social conditions in an eastern Slovak village.

Screenwriter Antonín Máša wrote a television production Zurvalec based on Turgenev's short story. It is a psychological drama about the conflicting encounter between Lieutenant Kister and the dangerous duelant Captain Luchkov, who drives away the boredom of an empty life in a backwater province with a series of violent acts. The tense relationship between the two men, expressing a contradiction of creative tolerance and aggression, is exacerbated by their interest in a woman who succumbs to admiration for the "predator" Luchkov. The tragic confrontation of different approaches to life raises the question of the possibilities of defending human decency over evil.

Maya is a patient in a hospital in the mountains of Slovakia. She possesses abilities that allow her to sense emotions and events in space and time. This gift makes her interesting to the local police, who use her to find missing people. The latest case involves an eight-year-old girl who has been abducted. Unfortunately, Maya fails to find her in time, and the child is found dead in the forest. This devastates Maya both psychologically and physically.

A satirical mockumentary follows Ľuboš, a conspiracy theorist ostracized after his parents die of COVID-19, who seizes a new opportunity during the Russo-Ukrainian war: hired to probe an assassination attempt on the prime minister, he unearths “hidden truths” beyond mainstream narratives, but his escalating, dangerous beliefs threaten both himself and those around him.

On Christmas Eve 1944, the devout Kubis family gathers under one roof despite divided loyalties: their youngest is a partisan, the eldest a guard, the daughter an Aryanization beneficiary, they sit with a Nazi guest, and the prospective bride is a communist. As the war’s end draws near and the front collapses, conflicting convictions and survival instincts force the family to confront moral compromises and the inevitability of sacrifice. What will each confess at midnight mass when duty to family, faith, and conscience collide?

Margarétka is a 13-year-old girl, who travels home by train every evening. She gets off at a stop beyond the village. Gathering courage near the last lamp on the train station, she takes a deep breath and heads down the dark road.

Mišo has a lifelong dream - to become a successful stand-up comedian. He quits his job to finally start fulfilling this dream. However, he is surprised by his niece Júlia, who arrives unannounced from the USA. Together, they embark on a stand-up tour of Slovak cities, where their dreams meet reality.

Blind Mimi and Lisa are best friends. They learn from each other to approach the world and its diversity with generosity, tolerance, and openness. In a new story, titled The Garden, a yellow container is installed in the yard of their house which their neighbours soon start filling with old and broken things. Lisa is curious what Mimi would be getting rid of and is surprised to see she doesn´t throw away anything. For Mimi, all old things at home are her anchors and little certainties in the dark. Lisa decides to throw away her old red ball. But it falls behind the container and thanks to it the girls discover a secret door leading to the beautiful Garden of the miraculous Magic Maker, who takes them on a quick trip through all the seasons.

When magic and malice combine to gain power, bad times can come to the land - and that's exactly what happened in the kingdom our story takes you to. An evil sorcerer decides to kidnap Princess Kvetusha, and out of his desire to control everything, he is aided in his quest by his sister. The young prince decides to set Quetusha, his bride, free. In order to do so, he must not only overcome many hardships along the way, but also accomplish almost impossible tasks at the wizard's castle. He succeeds only thanks to the help of three friends: the Long One, who, when stretched, can reach perhaps to the stars; the Wide One, who, when stretched, can hold more than all the barrels in the world; and the Bright One, who, even blindfolded, can see more and better than the others in broad daylight. They free the princess, punish the evil, and go out into the world to help more. Who knows, maybe these - or other - friends will one day help you too.

Tablet, Anika and Dany are on a field trip at the Cairn of Milan Rastislav Stefánik on the Bradlo hill when they suddenly find themselves in the memories of this giant of history. They discover a fascinating world where anything is possible.

Documentary film Heavy Heart arose as a part of ethnomusicological research Silalo panori / Cold water (2014 – 2017) of ancient Roma songs. These songs are usually connected with memories and experiences of their interprets. Documentary in a mosaic-like way traces the way of the original Roma music transport to the next generation or also how it ceases to exist under the influence of social changes.

New husband Adam reluctantly takes a job with state security in a totalitarian country, thus becoming a secret police agent. This "contract with the devil" helps secure a flat for the happy couple, as well as a prosperous future. However, he soon finds out that he too is under surveillance.

A story about life and problems of eleven years old boy Michal.

A black comedy set in the lives of two university employees. Its boss and opportunist Alexander Pažicky and his brother-in-law and professor, Kristof Mitrovsky. His poetic ambitions and ideals, however, battle with his instinctive nature, which manifests itself especially in his sex life...

Martin has everything: his own contemporary art gallery, an intelligent and beautiful wife, a nice apartment, an organized and peaceful life. And maybe that's the problem. His everyday life is dominated by overwhelming boredom, a routine that kills all joy.

Zuzana grew up and took her first blows from life. She got caught up in bad company, ended up in prison and after her release she tries to start again. She meets Juraj, a sympathetic driver, but when he seems to have found what she was looking for in him, he leaves her to try his luck in pop music. On top of that, Zuzana has to fight off attacks from her former partner Rony, now a rich gangster, who tries to seduce her. There is something for every teenager in this attractive musical. From a series of action scenes, shootouts, fights, love, the male friendship of the tough guys and their flashy trucks, to smuggled guns, mobsters holding the corrupt police and judiciary in their grip, plenty of songs and humour, and a glimpse into the corrupt backstage of show business.

Carl Orff's Carmina Burana is one of the monumental achievements of 20th century music. This cantata for orchestra, chorus and vocal solo voices was premiered in 1937 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Today you will see this work performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Slovak Philharmonic Choir, the Bratislava Boys Choir and soloists Andrea Vizvári, Aleš Jenis and Daniel Matoušek as part of the Ružinov Symphony Festival and the 1st subscription concert of the 93rd season of the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of SOSR Chief Conductor Ondrej Lenárd.

Loved by some, hated by others. However, few know the true story of a man who worked his way from small Ráztočno to the top of football, to the FC Liverpool team. Martin Škrtel let someone into his privacy for the first time. An emotionally charged film of one of the greatest personalities of Slovak football, where he reveals what no one knew about him until now. The story of a legend who for the first time allowed us to look not only behind the scenes of his football career, but also into his life.

Slow life in a small seaside town N is suddenly disturbed by a local scandal around a man who has recently passed away. Only his wife and his friend know where he was buried, and they refuse to tell the others, seemingly in accordance to his last will. Each character seeks answers to the questions of their own, but they are searching on the outside, inquiring society and each other, so their efforts are futile. Something is about to happen.

The Brahmaputra, Karnali, and Colorado Rivers are fascinating for many river runners. Particularly, the Colorado River stands out as a unique stage where whitewater rapids unravel Earth's ancient history. Within its wild water, it stirs up cherished memories of a dear friend, whose passion for discovering the mysteries of great rivers inspired many of us. The documentary film Grand Canyon captures adventures of Slovak paddlers dedicated to follow their dreams. Rafting down many rivers and crossing canyons worldwide, they face their biggest challenge now – to raft down the Colorado River. Years of preparation have led up to this defining moment. They face the month-long journey in the canyon, immersing themselves in the untamed beauty of nature.

The heart of this dramatic story based on the novel by Leopold Lahola is the search for the principle of humanism. The story plays in a single day towards the end of World War II in a rough, snow-covered landscape where a German soldier escorts his prisoner with orders to shoot him. The background of the story is formed by the flashbacks of the partisan soldier being interrogated by a Russian commissar who wants to know all about him being taken prisoner. The German soldier Helmut Kampen escorts the captive partisan who is condemned to death but finally manages to flee. The commissar wants to know why the Germans did not kill him and accuses the partisan soldier of collaboration

When a 15-year-old boy from a broken home gets sucked into a burglary that goes terribly wrong, he is brutally forced to reconsider just whom he can really trust before it is too late.

A chicken rescue mission gone wrong leads the activists into a dangerous wilderness where they experience situations that lead to new insights such as, nature is not a safe place for animals.

An independent Slovak queer horror drama following themes of self-discovery and dark tension. Directed and written by filmmaker Dominik György, the film blends atmospheric psychological drama with horror elements against local forest settings.

This is not a love story though it is full of love. It is not a comedy though the characters often say funny things. It is not a detective story even though the hero is trying to solve a murder. It is not a nature drama though it shows the splendid colours and customs of the countryside. It is not a musical though Lubica expresses her longing in a passionate dance. Nor is it a film about ghosts though a ghost does ask the hero for a favour. A few draughts of Strawberry Wine are enough to take us into a magical world in the true centre of Europe, where love, crime and penitence are just as much a part of life as the changing of the seasons, the migration of birds or the flowing of a mountain stream.

Life is the only game one does not choose for oneself. The central theme of the film is not only the stories connected to the casino space, gambling and poker players, but also stories from the outside world - the game as a life feeling given to man from birth. Playing in the casino space is the essence of fun and relaxation, but also of the feeling of gambling, it has a kind of mysterious flavour to it. The world 'beyond the walls', the outside world, and therefore politics, is a world of even greater games. Politics influences people's lives, plays with them and, unlike the 'poker' world, often uses unfair means, has no set rules of the game and sometimes even fights against them.

A feature film composed of 6 short films - 3 Czech and 3 Slovak, emerging authors

Marína visits her parents in Báčský Petrovec to introduce them to her fiancé, the famous writer Zoli. A die-hard teetotaller and vegetarian, at first it is not easy in the village famous for its sausage and pálinka. Until everyone believes that Zoli will write a book about them and finally become famous all over the world, ...almost everyone! Marín's father, Karol, should be delighted with his daughter's happiness, but the arrival of Zoltán awakens the weight of a secret that should have remained hidden forever.

A young doctor, former partisan leader - is he a hero, or a murderer? His wife - a victim, or a minion of a totalitarian regime? And his lover - a political careerist, or a naive single mother betrayed by fate? The dramatic fates of these antiheroes from the era of rise of communism are stories of violence and resistance, weakness and courage, much like the ones that take place today.

A fairy tale about two princesses - sisters, one of whom wasbeautiful and superficial and the other less beautiful, but wise and saved the kingdom from famine. Where there was there was a kingdom in which lived two princesses. Pretty Margaret and wise Marietta. As they grew up, the differences between them deepened. Margareta was all finesse and longed for rich courtship all her days, while Marieta learned much from people, but also by observing nature. And so it came to pass that a handsome prince visited the kingdom, and both girls fell in love with him. At first he seemed to be in awe of Margaret's beauty, but in time his enchantment wore off and he began to take more notice of the spirited Margaret. But she put him to the test...

The story tells about a girl who was poor, but on the other hand so good and hardworking that she received a special gift from fate. A spinning wheel on which she could spin golden threads. And there was a count who liked her, but he liked the gold she brought with her to his house even better. And because he was greedy and wanted more and more gold, he decided that he too would weave the threads, even if his fingers were to fall off. And so he wove and wove, forgetting all that was good and beautiful around him. The girl, his friends, the whole world. But until then, the golden threads are woven, until the yarn breaks and fate says enough...

The fates of famous slovak individuals in history bring strong dramatic stories and a witness to the age in which they lived. Tragic and complicated life of the physician Albert Škarvan, who was a friend and admirer of the great russian writer Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy, is also a noteworthy confrontation of worldview of two individuals in times, whe pacifist ideas sharply colided with the reality

Enrique lives with his grandmother in a small village in the “Hungry Valley,” while his mother Martina works far away, relying on Enrique to complete various tasks in hopes of saving enough money to reunite. When he’s not working for his mother, Enrique spends his summer riding mopeds with his friends. However, Martina soon becomes the subject of village gossip, as her intentions may not be as honorable as they once seemed. With the help of his friends, Enrique uncovers her true nature and must decide whether to remain loyal to his mother or forge his own path and cut ties with her.

I feel emptiness around me. The night is cold and dark. I am looking for a light, wherever it may be. After two years. Mila is coming.

This unique documentary follows the life of a Slovak hockey legend, Pavol Demitra. It takes us from the very begining of his career in Slovakia through successful years in NHL to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and his tragic death in a plane crash in 2011. His family, friends and fans around the world remember him not only as a top sportsman but also as a good man with strong character. - Written by ITA Film

Liliom, a charismatic early-20th-century carousel operator, loses his livelihood after finding true love and becomes enmeshed in a crime that brings guilt, punishment, and a slim chance at redemption.

TV adaptation of A. Chekhov's short story. The main character, Professor Kovrin, is a man full of doubts about the meaning of his existence, yearning for perfection and all-round harmony. Dedicated to his work and his pedagogical mission, he is tormented by anxieties over his own mediocrity and routine. At the same time, he fears that any excellence means the beginning of abnormality, exclusion from society. The mysterious aura of the ancient Christian legend of the Black Monk's existence brings a welcome partner into Kovrin's fractured world, a reflection of his secret desires. Eventually Kovrin comes to believe in his unique destiny to be the chosen one and to do good. In a sudden euphoria, he unthinkingly marries Tanya, a simple country girl. However, the "good" deed eventually becomes a burden for Kovrin...

The story of urban boys, brothers Jakub, 17, and Mato, 10, who spend their summer holidays at their grandmother's house in the countryside: the younger one voluntarily, even though his summer well-being is spoiled by maths tutoring, the older one involuntarily, because he had other plans for the holidays. As the summer days pass, however, both boys' plans and moods change. While Jakub is experiencing his first serious emotional relationship with the pretty Renko, the younger Mato and his local friend, the mentally challenged Misha Bomba, are undertaking tajo.

Eight chapters on the disaster that ensues after a simple man signs a blank piece of paper when handed a pen.

A documentary about the spiritual experience of a girl on Mount Zvir in Slovakia. On the afternoon of August 5, 1990, three children aged 10, 11, and 7—Ivetka, Katka, and her brother Miťko—were playing in a clearing on Mount Zvir, in the Lubovnianska Highlands in northeastern Slovakia. Suddenly, strange sounds began to echo from the surrounding forest, growing closer. The children hid in a nearby hayloft, but the sounds did not stop; on the contrary, they grew closer and closer, without anything being visible. The children's fear intensified. They thought to pray and prayed, "Mary, our Mother, hide us under your cloak..." Suddenly, everything stopped, and the Virgin Mary was sitting on a bench in the hayloft. Both girls saw her.

Marta and Jozef have four children. Jozef commutes to Prague for work. Marta works in a bakery, devotes all her energy to children. The eldest daughter Lenka is currently experiencing her first real love for the student Karol and wants to go to America with him. Her brother Milan spends a difficult period of puberty with a group of boys who amuse themselves by spying on couples making love. The nine-year-old accordionist Katka is jealous of her five-year-old sister Milka, because she thinks that her mother pays more attention to her. The story begins at the moment when Marta announces to Jozef that they are expecting their fifth child. The events that follow are a difficult but at the same time necessary test for all family members...

Matúš is a talented musician, who left his successfully developing career, when his adoptive mother fell ill. After her death, he’s living with his stepbrother Dávid and together they go through life, each in their own way. While Dávid takes what life gives him, Matúš feels frustrated by his failed ambitions. On his way to their fulfillment, he meets his old schoolmate Albert, who opens doors to the „better“ world for him.

What is “Slovakia”? How to explain the notion of “Slovakia” of the past 20 years to an unknown stranger, a visitor from another planet? What is the genetic makeup or the software for “Slovakia”? How to use it? How does it change? Slovakia 2.0 is a film about twenty years of independent Slovakia as seen from the perspective of ten film directors. It is composed of ten 10-minute films of different genres ranging from drama, through animation and documentaries, to experimental film. The ten recognised film directors who offer an answer to what is Slovakia include a wide range of generations, views and genres, namely Juraj Herz, Martin Šulík, Peter Kerekes, Zuzana Liová, Mišo Suchý, Ondrej Rudavský, Iveta Grófová, Peter Krištúfek, Viera Čákanyová, and Miro Jelok.

The expansion of the Roman Empire will confront the Slavs with a difficult choice that will probably decide their fate. An epic story inspired by the legendary poem by Sam Chalupka.

Take a look behind the scenes of the creation of the film ŠTÚR thanks to the Film about the Film, which maps the journey of the story of one of the most important figures in Slovak history to the big screen.

Redheaded Lila is the youngest in a friendly family of arachnids whose untamed imagination gets her into trouble. One day, she falls into a bag of flour while hunting moths, the next, she accidentally releases flies from a farm and hands over her brother's beloved guitar to a fraud. As if that were not enough, an alien spider from the Great Puddle tries to befriend her.

The last day of the first year of the young Slovak Republic is coming to an end. Everyone is celebrating. The king of the underworld, Efendi, and the President. Only the President has nothing to celebrate. The President, who himself has trodden the path to office, refuses to appoint his clever Chalanis as Minister. The President will become uncomfortable. How to make him listen to what the President wants? The President's son is beaten up in broad daylight by an organised group and taken abroad a few months later. A young Secret Service agent, Oskar, gripped by conscience, confesses to an investigator that he took part in the abduction at the behest of his superiors...

A poetic film about a wedding, bruises on the soul and a beautiful sibling relationship. A story from the present, full of everyday events about a great sibling love. Amálka is a modern and witty girl, apart from school, she manages to play in a musical group, but especially to take care of her thirteen-year-old brother Simon. He likes Amálka very much, but Amálka's boyfriend enters their relationship and Simon takes this as a betrayal from his older sister and a threat to their relationship. The fact that his sister has to get married makes the situation even more difficult for him. Fortunately, he too later realizes that his sister also has a right to her life, that her relationship with her brother hasn't changed, and Simon decides that he too will be as good an uncle, to his little niece, as his older sister was to him.