"A lot has changed in twenty years. We started as a five-day event with 58 films. Many may not even remember that digital copies did not exist back then - films arrived on 35mm rolls, weighed around 40 kg and traveled to us by courier from all over Europe. We interpreted them directly in the hall to "stations" that viewers borrowed upon entry. Today's technical level of screenings and the method of film distribution are completely different. But much more has changed - the ARTA community center was created, the old Elektrárňa was renovated, which expanded our screening options. And we also managed to revive the square in front of the House of Arts, where our popular Cinematik Lounge with discussions and other events now stands," says the festival's executive director, Tomáš Klenovský.
The 20th Cinematik IFF will take place this year from September 10 to 15. The six-day program will traditionally be packed with the best of the film news that have received applause and collected awards at prestigious international festivals in Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Venice, Berlin in recent months, as well as at the currently ongoing festival in Karlovy Vary. Cinematik will also present these films in the largest cinema hall in Slovakia - the House of Arts, with a specific atmosphere that turns a visit to the cinema into an extraordinary experience.
"Twenty years is a milestone that we are proud of. The festival was founded with the vision of building a platform for quality film, dialogue and free thinking. Today we can say that this vision has come true. We have created a community that believes in the power of cinematography," stated the festival's artistic director, Vladimír Štric.
Visitors to the 20th edition of Cinematik will be able to see quality films from European filmmakers in the main competition section Meeting Point Europe. The selection of the best European titles from the past year was compiled by a large international jury consisting of fourteen critics who cooperate with the festival throughout the year. This is the highest quality, concentrated selection of European cinema in Slovakia.
The extensive festival selection of the best will be presented by the popular sections Paths of Fame and Other Spaces, focused on works presented at the largest film events and are the result of the work of a demanding program selection. As the only festival in Slovakia, Cinematik will present the big three - the winner of this year's Cannes, as well as the Grand Prix and the Jury Prize. However, these will not be the only major program moments of this year.
Another exceptional film experience will be brought by the Under the Spotlight section, which this year is dedicated to the extremely successful current British cinema. Its precise curatorial selection, focused on narrative innovation and originality of film language, was taken care of by British director and screenwriter Peter Strickland.
In connection with the assessment of previous years, a special section dedicated to award-winning film directors throughout the festival's history awaits the audience. This section, entitled Respect 20, will present the latest films by big names in European cinema.
Visitors to Cinematik can also expect exceptional films in the traditional midnight section Beyond the Border of Cult, the competition of domestic documentary films Cinematik.doc and several other sections. The detailed festival program, which also includes a rich industry program, discussions and lectures, will be gradually presented by the organizers over the coming weeks.
“Regardless of the anniversary, we want to bring the best films to Piešťany every year, as well as something new that will move the festival forward - for all who come to it. The biggest victory for us will be if we can continue this work freely in the coming years,” said the festival’s executive director Tomáš Klenovský about the upcoming 20th edition.
Accreditations for the 20th edition of the Cinematik International Film Festival are on sale on the festival’s official website www.cinematik.sk.
