The 57th Zlin Film Festival knows its winners

The 57th International Film Festival for Children and Youth is coming to an end. The International Juries have watched all 152 films in competition and selected the winners of individual sections. The film and supporting program events literally took over Zlín and offered exciting entertainment for both children and adults. A number of film stars both from the Czech Republic and from abroad visited the city; a total of 89 delegations presented their films. Among the prominent guests of the festival was the Swedish director Daniel Bergman, the Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená and the Oscar winner Theodor Pištěk.

This year's Zlín Film Festival is slowly becoming a thing of the past. There is only one day left for those interested in films and supporting programme events. The competition sections are closed and their winners will receive awards tonight.

A total of 2,900 were accredited for this year’s Zlín Film Festival, which can boast high attendance reaching last year’s 125,000 visitors. By Thursday night, the number of film spectators reached more than 40 000 people. By Saturday, the total numbers will be even higher.

"We are very happy to see that festival visitors have shown a real interest in the films screened at the festival and filled the cinemas,"

said Čestmír Vančura, the festival president. Also the programme of this year’s Film Industry section attracted the attention of film professionals.

The most successful film was the French film Heartstrings, which received awards in two categories: the Audience Award for Best Feature Film and the Children's Jury Prize. The costume designer and painter Theodor Pištěk will receive the Golden Slipper for extraordinary contribution to cinematography for children and youth.

In its 57th year, the festival spread to other locations. Films were also screened in the unique space of the original film studio at Kudlov. The supporting program included new features such as the Relax Gastro Zone at the Zlín Chateau, the Hamlet of Creative Workshops, the Festival Café at Náměstí Miru square, the Arbour Safety Centre, and the Film Piano tent at Park Komenského.

This year's festival was devoted to Swedish and Swiss cinematography and to the commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the birth of the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren.

"The 58th Zlín Film Festival will take place from May 25 till June 2, 2018 and will be devoted to Czech and Slovak cinematography in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of independent Czechoslovakia,"

said Čestmír Vančura.

The festival will culminate on Saturday, June 3 with the MONET+ Zlín Festival Half-Marathon with the participation of 1,300 runners. Nearly four hundred small and big runners will run the Festival Family Run.

For the first time, the inhabitants of the South-Moravian town of Mikulov will have a chance to experience the festival atmosphere. Between June 8 and June 10, the Echoes of the Zlín Film Festival will offer 18 unique films for children and teenagers to local fans of film and of the Zlín Film Festival. The event will feature an extensive supporting programme featuring workshops, theatrical performances and exhibitions.

Swedish cinematography will get into the focus in the region once again this year as the main theme of this year’s Summer Film School in Uherské Hradiště, which will take place from July 28 till August 6, 2017.