- Mezipatra Queer Film Festival is starting in Prague on November 7 and will continue until November 14. Then, it will move to Brno, where it finishes on November 22.
- Visitors can look forward to the crème de la crème of queer-themed feature, documentary and short films.
- The accompanying program offers interesting discussions with international guests, a drag show, lectures on current issues, and newly also the Queering the Industry section about the inner workings of the film industry.
Today is the starting day of the 20th edition of Mezipatra Queer Film Festival that will offer ten feature films in the main competition, five documentaries, 39 short competition films, and five films in the special Reunion retro section.
“The festival is celebrating its 20th birthday, and its theme of Winds of Change wants to remind all that to achieve any change, being it personal or social, it is necessary to get involved and be active. Throughout its history, Mezipatra has always not only brought excellent films, but also contributed to the visibility of LGBTQ+ communities. This year, this attitude is emphasized by founding our own distribution brand, Queer Kino – the first presented film, Sauvage, enjoyed over a hundred screenings all over the Czech Republic. The second success of this year are school screenings in all regions – the specially selected films were watched by almost 2.000 children who then participated in discussions with experts from the queer community,” says the festival director Pavel Bicek.
The main competition will open with director Rhys Ernst's Adam about the importance of honesty in relationships. Ernst will come to Prague to personally introduce the film. The other highly awaited films include the Teddy-Award-winning Brief Story from the Green Planet (Breve historia del planeta verde) about three friends who set off to fulfill the last wish of the main protagonist's grandma, and the latest film by Xavier Dolan, Matthias & Maxime. An insight into the conservative world of traditional Georgian dances will be presented by And Then We Danced, a drama where the strict rules of the dance and the society's rigid thinking influence the life of a hard-training young man. Levan Akin's sincere drama was Sweden's candidate for Academy Awards.
Mezipatra's documentary section will present five films. Tomer Heymann's documentary in the form of long-term follow-ups, Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life, follows a famous Israeli pornstar and the destructive influence of the porn industry on his life. Swiss Madame is an intimate study of family relationships. The struggle against adverse circumstances is depicted in two trans documentaries: in Changing the Game, three teenage athletes fight against unfair sports rules; Seahorse focuses on a young trans man who, longing to start his own family, decides to defy all social conventions and get pregnant himself. Such current issues as migration and tolerance in society are discussed by directors Giselle Bailey and Nneka Onuorah in the portrait of musician Kiddy Smile, Burn the House Down.
Just like every year, Mezipatra also features a competition of short films from all over the world, divided into seven thematically different categories. Moreover, visitors can look forward to the new concept of the retro section, Reuinion, where distinctive personalities of the Czech queer community introduces their favourite films. The featured films include the critically acclaimed Something Must Break from Sweden, an original love story called Soldier's Girl, and a documentary about the fight for equality, Freedom to Marry.
Apart from discussions and lectures, the festival has also prepared the popular parties. Genesis opening party will take place in Lucerna Café, starring DJ Mary C and musician and director Šimon Holý. Mezipatra's biggest party, Golden Times, is planned in Ankali club in Vršovice on Saturday, with music provided for example by DJ and activist Killa. The newest addition to the accompanying program is the weekend block of Queering the Industry, focusing on queer film industry and open to general public for free.
QFF Mezipatra 2019
Praha 7. – 14. 11.
Brno 15. – 22. 11.
echoes in regions
PRESS materials:
https://mezimedia.capsa.cz
password: queer-osvobozuje
PR contact:
Leonora Nushi
+420 608 910 494
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