Estonian Box Office National Hit: December Heat

The number one national box office hit in Estonia in 2008, December Heat by debut director Asko Kase, gathered close to 60,000 admissions, beating a string of Hollywood blockbusters.
18-12-2008

Hungary's 2008 box office hit: 9 and ½ Dates

Hungarian audiences fell in love with the Valentine's Day release 9 and ½ Dates (www.kilencesfelrandi.hu).
18-12-2008

Latvia's National Hit: Defenders of Riga

Defenders of Riga, dedicated to Latvia's fight for independence in 1919, has become a national hit and is being screened far outside of Latvia's borders.
18-12-2008

Ladies conquers the Polish box office 2008

2008 has been especially successful for the national productions: for the first time in two years a local title is on top of the box office charts.
18-12-2008

Romanian National Box Office Champ: The Survivor

Romania's top grossing local film in 2008 was Sergiu Nicolaescu's The Survivor, with a total of 26,772 tickets sold over 17 weeks of screening, to a total of about €86,600.
18-12-2008

Slovakia's Box Office National Hit: Bathory

Bathory is not only the box office national hit in Slovakia for 2008; it is the most successful movie in Slovak history, smashing the competition with over 1,465,226 euros (43…
18-12-2008

Slovenian Box Office National Hit – Rooster's Breakfast

The first full-length feature film by Marko Nabersnik, Rooster's Breakfast, was a big surprise for the Slovenian film industry.
18-12-2008

Recep Ivedik: Turkish box office success

As the year ends Turkish cinema goers laughing out loud, and local box office hit Recep Ivedik is leading the pack, but another new comedy is on its heels to…
18-12-2008

Edmunds Jansons soars with Little Bird's Diary

A 23 minute documentary animation film, Little Bird's Diary, is winning recognition for Latvian animator and documentary director Edmunds Jansons.
17-12-2008

Markiza to launch new channel

Slovak commercial television station TV Markiza (www.markiza.sk) announced it will launch a new channel, TV Doma.
17-12-2008

Bulgarian director Stephan Komandarev

Stefan Komandarev (1966), whose film The World is Big and Salvation Lurks around the Corner is making an extraordinary tour of international film festivals, didn't intend to become a filmmaker.
17-12-2008

Helena Trestikova: an admired Czech director accepts a European crown

On December 6, Czech documentarist Helena Trestikova received the "European Oscar" in Copenhagen, the European Film Academy's Prix Arte.
17-12-2008

Estonian breakout director: Rene Vilbre

2008 was the breakout year for the Estonian director Rene Vilbre whose second feature I Was Here screened at this year's Karlovy Vary East of the West section and climbed…
17-12-2008

Hungarian Director Attila Gigor

Following stints as a bit actor, film journalist, assistant director and creator of two short films, several music videos and commercials, the 30-year-old Hungarian filmmaker Attlia Gigor, neé Attila Galambos,…
17-12-2008

Lithuanian Break-out director of 2008: Kristina Buozyte

Kristina Buozyte introduced herself both in Lithuania and on the international circuit with her film school graduation directing debut, The Collectress (www.collectress.lt).
17-12-2008

Poland's Directing Discovery: Malgorzata Szumowska

Malgorzata Szumowska, director of 33 Scenes from Life turns out to be the directing discovery of 2008 in Poland.
17-12-2008

Romanian actor turns director: Horatiu Malaele

Seasoned Romanian actor Horatiu Malaele had his feature film directorial debut in late November, with Silent Wedding opening to the general praise from local media.
17-12-2008

Break-out director of 2008 – Juraj Lehotsky

Young Slovak director Juraj Lehotsky (age 33) drew international attention with his 77-minute debut Blind Loves, a documentary with fictional elements about love among the blind, whcih premiered on March…
17-12-2008

Slovenian break-out director of 2008 - Vinko Moderndorfer

Vinko Moderndorfer fulfilled the promise of his debut film Suburts with his 2008 sophomore effort Landscape No. 2.
17-12-2008

A new voice from Turkey: Ozcan Alper

Ozcan Alper's debut feature Autumn tells the intense and melancholic story of the last days of a young political prisoner who is released on health grounds after ten years and…
17-12-2008