- The Prague part of 18th Mezipatra Queer Film Festival is ending on Thursday.
- The festival, with its motto of Be Your Own Champion, presented 65 films and ten accompanying events in Prague this year.
- Between November 2 and 9, Mezipatra in Prague was visited by almost 8.000 people.
Prague, November 8, 2017 – The prize for the best live-action feature film was awarded to Beach Rats by director Eliza Hittman from the USA. The Sundance hit drama follows young Frankie. He spends his free time with a dubious gang of buddies, drinking alcohol and using drugs. But his rough outer layer hides inner insecurities, which he deals with through random hook-ups with older men.
The international jury, consisting of Hana Kulhánková, the One World festival's former director who is currently a member of the Impact Academy team, Berwyn Rowlands, the founder of Iris Prize, and the curator and art critic Zuzana Štefková, has decided to award the prize for the film's overall message.
“The film is a reminder that at a time of great developments for LGBT communities there are still young people who are not able to live openly their desires. Beach Rats is visually attractive and seducing although the life of poverty and drugs depicted is not. Although this film is located in Brooklyn it is relevant to us here in central Europe and beyond. It tackles the traps of the instant gratification that only lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and loneliness,” said the three jury members. The award was accepted by the American Consul General Nikolas Trendowski on behalf of the director.
Award for the best short film
The winner of the best short film award is Transition (Tranzicija) by Serbian Milica Tomović. We meet a protagonist who is leaving for their post-graduate studies in Michigan. But their family does not know that it's the last moment they see them as a girl.
“With 41 films the decision wasn’t easy, there were plenty of films who deserve praise,” prefaced the jury. “Our mutual conclusion is that a film which deals with change, ‘becoming’ despite the external difficulties, deserves the title.” The prize was awarded to Serbian Ambassador's First Counsellor, Milena Mitić.
Guests of this year's Mezipatra
Mezipatra welcomed numerous international guests. They included for example director Chris Miera from Germany, who introduced his feature debut Paths (Ein Weg). The documentary section was represented by Arshad Khan, a Canadian director of Pakistani origin, with his intimate confession called Abu, about finding the way towards his father and sexuality.
The other guests featured Italian filmmaker Simone Bozzeli, who introduced his short film Loris Is Fine (Loris sta bene), and director Uriya Hertz from Israel with The Rabbi (Ha'rav). The star of the accompanying program was DJ Ena Lind from Berlin, who performed at the festival's largest party, PG-18, in the sold-out Ankali club.
Follow-up in Brno and regions
On November 10, the festival is moving to Brno, where it will continue until November 17. The Brno part will also open with the biopic Tom of Finland, followed by a thematic party. The festival in Brno also offers a selection of the best queer films and accompanying events. These include for instance the interactive workshop of the Art of Bondage, and the Open Space: Queer Gipsy exhibition about the Romani queer minority.
As tradition dictates, regional echoes follow the festival's main part. This year, they will take place in Český Krumlov on November 24 and 25, in Olomouc between November 22 and 25 and on December 12 in Hradec Králové.
2017 Mezipatra QFF
Prague: November 2-9
Brno: November 10-17
echoes in regions
www.mezipatra.cz/en
Mezipatra 2017 visual photographed by Michaela Karásek Čejková, designed by Marius Corradini / Side 2
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