(l-r): directors Jitka Rudolfová and Irena Pavlásková, Markéta Šantrochová from Czech Film Center and Czech Ambassador Jaroslav Olša, jr.

 

Five Czech feature films: Kawasaki’s Rose (Kawasakiho růže, directed by Jan Hřebejk, 2009), An Earthy Paradise for the Eyes (Zemský ráj to napohled, dir. Irena Pavlásková, 2009), Dreamers (Zoufalci, dir. Jitka Rudolfová, 2009), Three Seasons in Hell (Tři sezóny v pekle, dir. Tomáš Mašín, 2009) and Walking Too Fast (Pouta, dir. Radim Špaček, 2010), as well as a documentary, Katka (dir. Helena Třeštíková, 2009), were presented in this special Czech programme during the15th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) held from October 7 to 15, 2010.

The biggest Czech film showcase in the Republic of Korea to date was organized by the Czech Film Center (www.filmcenter.cz) which has already cooperated with PIFF in the past years when examples of the Czech cinema were presented at Busan (in 2006, the Korean public saw „Marta“, in 2008, it was „Night Owls“ and „René“, in 2009, it was „Foxes“ and „Broken Promise“).

Two women directors, Ms Jitka Rudolfová and Ms Irena Pavlásková, accompanied their films to Busan to personally present them to the Korean public and hear what Koreans have to say about the films at the Q+A sessions. Other guests representing the Czech film industry included Ms. Viera Langerová, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival programmer (www.kviff.com), Ms. Marta Lamperová, the Film Europe media company representative (www.filmeurope.eu), Mr. Tomáš Prášek, film festival entrepreneur and founder of Eventival (www.eventival.com), and film critic and journalist Michal Procházka.

With 70,000 Koreans visiting the Czech Republic annually, the Czech culture – classical music, musicals, literature and film – is already well-known to Korean public. With an aim to broaden this knowledge and to honour the special occasion of the film presentation, the Embassy of the Czech Republic joined forces with the Czech Film Center, and held a Czech wine and beer party on October 11, 2010 to present Czech movies to film festival representatives and film buyers and distributors, as well as the Korean friends of the Czech Republic. The event was co-sponsored by Korean distributor of Pilsner Urquell beer, and Castle Praha, Korean chain of Czech-theme restaurants.

The Czech Film Center also took part at Busan´s Asian Film Market as a participant in the European Film Promotion booth. Last but not least, as the Czech Republic, and Prague in particular, is traditionally a well-known setting for foreign movie productions (from Tom Cruise´s Mission Impossible 2 and 4 to Lee Byung-hun´s G. I. Joe), Czech Film Center was also present at the accompanying film location fair, BIFCOM.

Detailed program of Czech films attached.

 

PIFF director Mr. Kim Dong-ho attending the Czech Night