Message from Mrs. Denisa Cross, Founding Member & Head of Programming of CaSFFA

Welcome to the 14th Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia, proudly sponsored by Škoda.

It is my great pleasure, as Founding Member and Head of Programming, to welcome you to another celebration of the remarkable cinema of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Fourteen years ago, CaSFFA began with a simple vision: to create a space where Czech and Slovak stories could be shared with Australian audiences through the universal language of film. Today, we proudly continue this journey across Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Our 2026 theme, Horizons, celebrates cinema’s ability to expand our perspectives, connect cultures and encourage us to look beyond the familiar. This year’s programme brings together contemporary voices and timeless classics, exploring stories of resilience, identity, friendship and shared human experiences.

We are thrilled to open this year’s festival with Invincibles, a powerful and uplifting story of resilience, friendship and determination that sets the tone for our Horizons theme. Among the many highlights of this year’s programme are Father, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last year, Flood, Slovakia’s submission for this year’s Academy Awards, and Chica Checa, recently featured in the Crystal Globe Competition at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Audiences can rediscover timeless classics including Kristián and Men About Town, reminding us of the enduring power of great cinema, alongside many other contemporary features and cinematic treasures.

We are also delighted to continue our valued partnership with the Melbourne Cinémathèque with a special retrospective dedicated to legendary composer Zdeněk Liška, whose innovative scores helped define some of the greatest works of Czech and Slovak cinema. The programme includes the Academy Award-winning The Shop on the High Street, celebrating this remarkable cinematic legacy.

This festival would not be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, partners and supporters. My sincere thanks go to Škoda Australia, our Naming Rights Partner for the second consecutive year, for their continued commitment to celebrating Czech and Slovak culture in Australia. My heartfelt thanks also go to Sense Creative Agency for their creativity and support in bringing the festival’s visual identity to life, and to our cultural partners, funding organisations, donors, sponsors and venue partners whose generosity and collaboration make CaSFFA possible.

Finally, thank you to our audience. Whether you are joining us for the first time or have supported CaSFFA throughout its journey, your enthusiasm allows us to continue sharing the extraordinary stories of Czech and Slovak cinema.

On behalf of the entire CaSFFA team, welcome to the 14th Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia.

Enjoy the festival.

Information on the programme