NEWS CONFERENCE WITH VOJTĚCH JASNÝ
NEWS CONFERENCE WITH VOJTĚCH JASNÝ IN PRAGUE ON THURSDAY, APRIL 18
NEWS CONFERENCE WITH VOJTĚCH JASNÝ IN PRAGUE ON THURSDAY, APRIL 18
The news conference took place in Prague as part of Vojtěch Jasný's planned visit of 53rd ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL. Journalists came to hear Mr. Jasný´s remembering not only his precious friendship with Canadian producer Rock Demers. Everybody enjoyed very friendly atmosphere of the comfortable premises of the agency 2Media who organized this meeting in cooperation with ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL. The Czech director´s honorable age of 87 did not prevent him from telling his life stories for nearly one hour.
Vojtěch Jasný will meet Rock Demers this year in Zlín and will be amongst the first to congratulate the Canadian producer to receiving GRAND PRIX ZFF 2013. This exceptional prize will be awarded to Rock Demers by the organisers Zlín's showcase for his 50 year endeavour in the sector of films for children and youth and mainly for his precious friendship with Zlín Film Festival. The award ceremony will take place in the evening on 28th May in Bata Villa garden in Zlín. Both world renowned filmmakers are colleagues and friends since the time of Vojtěch Jasný's exile.
Apart from awards will both friends, V. Jasný a R. Demers, have also work engagements. On Thursday 30th May, as part of the Film Industry programme, they will hold a MASTER CLASS for festival visitors - film specialist, students and interested public alike. The MASTERCLASS will be presented by V. Jasný's student, young Spanish director and documentary maker Arkaitz Basterra.
To mark the attendance of Jasný and Demers, ZFF has added the feature The Great Land of Small, Canada 1987 to its fill programme. The motion picture belongs to the internationally renowned film collection for children - „Tales for All". The master mind behind the whole project is filmmaker Rock Demers. The main characters of his films are usually children who discover the world through their unspoiled and unrestrained fantasy. It is specifically this work ethics of his filmmaking that had placed the Canadian version of Oscar - Genie to Demers's hands. The Great Land of Small , which was directed by Jasný is amongst the most celebrated in the collection.
Rock Demers celebrated his 80th birthday jubilee this year and has been visiting Zlín festival regularly for almost 50 years. In his filmmaking, he predominantly focuses on children and youth. A considerable part of his working career is linked to Czech Republic, specifically with names Břetislav Pojar abd Vojtěch Jasný. In 2006 Rock Demers was part of the main judging panel Zlín and till this day his summing words bring warmth to the organisers:
„I am incredibly honoured that I was able to be a part of the jubilee 50th Zlín Film Festival for children and youth. The spectrum of the festival was truly remarkable. Remarkable - in terms film projections and their technical qualities, diversity of the film sections, combination of the old and brand new films, perfect portrayal of what was and always will be the freshness and originality of Czech cinematography for children and youth. Remarkable - in terms of the warmth given to each visitor and pleasantness during their entire stay. Remarkable - concerning the closing ceremony and afterward reception. To be honest the entire festival crew preparing the jubilee 50th festival was remarkable. Congratulation to you all and thank you for your kindness."
Vojtěch Jasný is also a regular visitor of ZFF and sat as member of the jury year later than Rock Demers - in 2007. In 2010 and during his visit, ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL introduced a film by Spanish director Arkaitz Basterra, Life and Film - Labyrinth Biographies of Vojtěch Jasný (2009).
Vojtěch Jasný talks about his relationship with Rock Demers:
„In exile and even in the life before, I have realised that I can enjoy freedom during all political eras and in all countries I have lived in but this only possible with influential people - producers, authors. In my case these people became my friends. To create in exile is impossible without precious friends. It is for example thanks to my best friend in Canada, producer Rock Demers from La Fete production, that I am not only a director but also feel at home in Canada."