The Days of European Film (DEF) festival will return in April for its 33rd edition, bringing a selection of recent European films to cinemas across the Czech Republic. The festival will take place in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, and several other cities.
In Brno, the programme will run at Kino Art from 13–19 April, after starting in Prague from 9–14 April.
This year’s programme presents a wide range of European films by both established directors and emerging filmmakers. “This year’s programme shows how diverse and bold contemporary European cinema is, ranging from intimate family stories to historical reflections and genre experiments,” said festival dramaturg Šimon Šafránek.
One of the highlights is ‘The Stranger’, a new black-and-white adaptation of the novel by Albert Camus, directed by François Ozon. Set in 1930s Algeria, the film recently won the César Award for Best Supporting Actor. Others include the poetic documentary ‘Whispers in the Woods’ by filmmaker and photographer Vincent Munier, the visually striking adventure film ‘Hen’ by Hungarian director György Pálfi, and the coming-of-age drama ‘Little Trouble Girls’ by Slovenian filmmaker Urška Djukić, which explores themes of faith, sexuality, and identity within a Catholic choir.
The festival will also screen several Czech films, including the road movie ‘Caravan’ by Zuzana Kirchnerová and the animated film ‘Tales from the Magic Garden’ directed by David Súkup.
DEF will again showcase new filmmakers in the Poprvé (First Time) debut competition. This section includes ‘White Snail’ by directors Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter, which won a Special Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival, and ‘Weightless’ by Emilie Thalund, which won the debut competition at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
Music is another important theme in the festival programme. The Film and Music section includes the documentary Nova 78’, featuring performances by Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson, and Frank Zappa, as well as the musical comedy California Schemin’, the directing debut of actor James McAvoy.
This year’s festival will also include a retrospective dedicated to Italian director Paolo Sorrentino. The programme will feature several of his well-known films, including ‘The Great Beauty’, ‘Youth’, ‘Il Divo’, and ‘This Must Be the Place’.
Sorrentino’s long-time collaborator, editor Cristiano Travaglioli, will attend the festival in Prague to present the films and lead a masterclass. Alongside screenings, the festival will also host discussions, seminars for film professionals, and workshops for children. The Days of European Film festival will take place in Brno at Kino Art from 13–19 April. The full programme and tickets are available at www.eurofilmfest.cz.
