THE ZLÍN CHATEAU WILL BE RULED BY CHILDREN DURING THE ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL

During the 54th annual ZFF, May 30-June 5, 2014, a considerable part of the Zlín chateau will be occupied. This historic building, which has absolute primacy in Zlín and has house address number 1, will be the center of all supporting programs and much of the film program for the shortest members of our public. In addition to Golden Apple Cinema, the congress center, the main square Náměstí Míru, and the Open Air Site just under the House of Art, the chateau will be the fifth major location of the ZFF.

Aside from a few exceptions, the Zlín chateau hasn't really been utilized in for any supporting events or screening films. Since 2013, after the departure of the Museum of Southeast Moravia and the Regional Gallery of Fine Arts, the chateau has been closed to the general public. Its new tenant, the company Zlínský Zámek, is gradually changing this state of affairs. Together with the municipality of Zlín it is finding meaningful use for the chateau area in the center of Zlín.

"For us and for our child-focused program, the chateau is advantageous in all respects," says ZFF press agent Martin Pášma.  The head of the Zlín festival hopes for long-term cooperation with the company Zlínský Zámek, and Mr. Pášma adds, "The interior areas, courtyard and chateau park are ideal in terms of the production needs of our programs, safety and health of the children. If in the movie Long Live Ghosts! children occupied a castle, during the festival in Zlín children will rule a chateau. It's truly a fairytale solution!"

The executive director of Zlínský Zámek, Martina Dlabajová welcomes this cooperation with Zlín Film Festival with,  "We're really looking forward to the fact that the festival will be bringing children to the chateau. The littlest participants, as a general rule, are accompanied by parents or grandparents, so the oldest premises in Zlín will actually be filled up with all generations. We are truly pleased to bring awareness of the chateau back to the city's residents. It is a unique place and an ideal center for social and cultural life."

Zlín film festival intends to entice its tiniest of visitors (attended by parents or teachers) to the chateau primarily with the following programs: The Bedtime Story Cinema for the youngest, animation workshops for schools and the public, Czech TV News Studio, photography corner with costumes, and similar things.  With the approval of the city hall, the grassy areas of the chateau's surrounding park will be used as well. Here, in addition to grass, you will find a sandy beach, a temporary play area for the outdoor games petanque, badminton, volleyball, frisbee, croquet, bouncy castles, and others - perhaps even some water fun and games...

The Zlín Film Festival has not yet been able to find out what Zlín's legendary supernatural resident thinks of the idea of opening the chateau to children. Miloš the Headless Knight is connected to the chateau and is considered to be its permanent resident.

In terms of locations, Zlin's festival has become nigh unrecognizable in recent years.  Gone are times when the festival events took place in particular in triangle:  the Grand Cinema, Interhotel Moskva, the Academic Center of Tomas Bata University.  Though these places are still used, the center of gravity has moved elsewhere:
- the center of the festival's social activities, accreditation, Film Industry:  The Zlín Congress Center,
- the center for screenings at the ZFF:  Golden Apple Cinema within the Zlaté Jablko shopping and entertainment center,
- the center for outdoor supporting programs for children and families: the main square Náměstí Míru,
- the center for outdoor supporting programs for adults: Open Air Place of T.G.M. Square,
- the center for the supporting program for the youngest visitors: the chateau.

The 54th Zlín Film Festival will take place from Friday May 30 to Thursday June 5, 2014 in Zlín and other Czech and Moravian cities.  For the first time in the history of the festival, its primary action-filled days will be on Saturday and Sunday.  So the organizers have moved to accommodate in particular those who were prevented in the past from visiting the festival by work obligations.  I'm sure this change will be appreciated by everyone who wants to get out and enjoy the festival's evening or night events to the fullest. 
The world's attention will be particularly focused this year on the Zlín film festival's international competitions and large section called Days of Polish Cinema. 

THE 54TH ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL STARTS IN 107 DAYS!

ZLÍN FILM FESTIVAL 2014 – 54th International Film Festival for Children and Youth in Zlín
May 30 – June 5, 2014

Organizer:                              FILMFEST, s.r.o.

Co-organizer:                       Statutory city of Zlín

General partner:                  ENAPO

Financial support:              Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the Media program,
                                               State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinema,
                                               The Zlín Region, the town of Otrokovice

Main partners:                    Skoda Auto, DHL Czech Republic,
                                              Zlaté Jablko – shopping and entertainment center, Impromat

Main media partners:       Czech Television, Czech Radio, DNES, Idnes.cz

 We thank everyone for their support!