Zlin, South Moravia, March 21 (CTK) – The 57th International Film Festival for Children and Youth to be held in Zlin from May 26 to June 3 will focus on Swedish cinematography, its artistic director Marketa Pasmova told CTK on Tuesday.
The Swedish section will offer more than 30 full-length films as well as short, animated and students’ films.
It will mainly present films based on works by the most popular Swedish writer of children’s books, Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), on the occasion of her 110th birth anniversary, Pasmova said.
The festival will naturally screen film adaptations of her famous books, such as Pippi Longstocking, Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter and The Brothers Lionheart, she added.
Lindgren received dozens of awards for her literary works, including the Medal of Hans Christian Andersen in 1958, which is considered the most prestigious decoration for a children’s books author. Besides, one literary award bears her name.
Another subsection of the Zlin festival will present children in the films by renowned Swedish directors, such as Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander.
Sweden will be reflected in the accompanying programme as well. Visitors can, for instance, taste Swedish culinary specialities and play Swedish games.
Along with Sweden, the festival will show Swiss cinematography.
“We have called the Swiss section Welcome to Switzerland after the eponymous film. We will screen some 15 full-length films for children and youth, including full-length documentaries, as well as short films. We cooperate with film schools in Switzerland and prepare several series of short animated and students’ films,” Pasmova said.
The third major theme of this year’s festival is “20 Years of the Clapperboards Salon.”
Artistic clapperboards are annually auctioned off at the festival and the proceeds go to students’ films.
“We will also publish a book mapping the project’s history. It pays homage to interesting authors of the clapperboards and their bidders and depict all clapperboards that have been created during the festival years,” festival president Cestmir Vancura said.
So far 2057 clapperboards have been made. They were auctioned off for more than 28 million crowns that supported 330 projects.
This year’s clapperboards collection is comprised of 140 works that have been displayed in Prague and Mlada Boleslav, central Bohemia, and now they can be seen in Brno. Their exhibition in Zlin will be opened on May 8, while the auction is scheduled for May 28.
