The Czech Film Center is part of the Czech Film Fund
19 December 2023
Clermont-Ferrand to showcase four Czech films
Clermont-Ferrand to showcase four Czech films
The 46th edition of the Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival is scheduled to take place from the 2nd to the 10th of February 2024, and, as tradition dictates, it will feature Czech films in its program. Dede is Dead, a short animated film by Philippe Kastner about the loss of a beloved pet, will illuminate the Young Audience program. The Slovak-Czech co-produced animated embroidery Criss Cross will be part of the Lab Competition. Addtionally, Fresh Memories: The Look by Ondřej Moravec and Volodymyr Kolbasa will be part of the Virtual Reality section, while Love, Dad by Diana Cam Van Nguyen will make its comeback to the festival as part of Euro Visions program.
Dede is Dead has already proven its appeal to a young audience since its premiere at the Berlinale Generation Kplus, where it received a Special Mention. The director Phillipe Kastner, a student of FAMU in Prague, expleres how does one deal with an unexpected death of a loved one? His film tells the story of a boy and his dog Dede and shows their final moments together before Dede dies. Lost in the depths of grief, the boy eventually discovers that her death does not necessarily mean that Dede is completely gone.
We briefly experience with the animal protagnists their story, freely inspired by folk culture, in which good values conquer evil. The film Criss Cross works with a simple well known saying “A friend in need is a friend indeed“, making it accessible to viewers of any age or nationality. This short animated fable is both a children’s film with a moral, and an attractive film for an adult viewer thanks to its artistic style, combining animation with a cross stitch embroidery. Criss Cross is a co-production between Slovak Super Film and the Czech MAUR Film production company, with support from the Czech Film Fund through its minority co-production scheme with a grant of 20,000 EUR.
The Virtual Reality section will feature Fresh Memories: The Look by Ondřej Moravec and Volodymyr Kolbasa, immersing viewers in the war-torn city of Kharkiv. This virtual reality experience allows participants to gaze into the eyes of those who have lost their homes or places closely connected to them. The directors pose important questions: What emotions might this simple gaze evoke in us? Will it elicit despair, grief, or hope? Premiering at SXSW earlier this year, this VR film is a collaboration between Czech Brainz Studio and Ukrainian WAW Production.
Making its return to the festival is Love, Dad by Diana Cam Van Nguyen, following its successful participation in the Lab Competition in 2022, where it received the Festivals Connexion Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Award. This time, the film will be screened as part of the Euro Visions program, highlighting the best European films from the last decade. Love, Dad explores the ties and gaps between a child and a parent. The author rediscovers letters her dad wrote to her from prison, realizing that the love once felt has dissipated. In an attempt to reestablish a connection, she decides to write back, expressing what could not be said verbally. Blaming her father for the family's breakup while also seeking understanding, the film is produced by Karolína Davidová of 13ka, in co-production with Prague's FAMU and Slovak nutprodukcia.
