Special screenings – Prepare yourself for extraordinary experiences

Among the biggest attractions of the current edition of the Cinematik IFF is the Special Screenings section, which features the premiere of the Georgy-Russian-Polish co-production drama Hostages. The film by Reza Giginishvili captures the real events of 1983 when a group of seven Georgians tried to escape from the Soviet Union. However, a hijacked plane is shot down, and those who survived the crash are judged and executed.

A Croatian Comedy The Ministry of Love (The Ministry of Ljubavi) focuses on biologist Kreša, who has lost his illusions long ago and his middlife crisis is creeping upon him. He is unemployed and his marriage is in ruins. The Croatian government, which has created the Ministry of Love, is also facing problems. The ministry has the task of gathering information about widows who violate the new law. Krešo decides to get a job in the ministry. In addition to the southern comedy, an action comedy Zero is also included in the Special Screenings section. The film by Gyula Nemesa watches how a bee rescue develops. If bees disappear from the world, humanity remains only with a few years of existence.

The section also brings a Dutch movie Waterboys. Its protagonists are the writer of criminal stories Victor and a 20-year-old cello player Zack. During a trip to Scotland, they are forced to confront each other and get to know each other. Entertaining and gentle film by director Robert John Westdijk, about the fathers who must grow up and the sons who should take life less seriously. Special Screenings will also show an original project called Manifesto, in which actress Cate Blanchett presents a number of monologues, each styled into artistically different manifesto. Julian Rosefeldt’s ambitious project was also featured at the Sundance, Rotterdam and Tribeca film festivals. Cinematik IFF also introduces a German drama Axolotl Overkill by director and screenwriter Helene Hegemann. The protagonist is a sixteen-year old Mifti, who lives in Berlin with her half-siblings, father and friend Ophelia. She is mourning the recent death of her mother and is becoming dependent on Alice – an elderly criminal. The viewers can also expect a Polish film Sztuka kochania: Historia Michaliny Wislockiej. Michalina Wislocka  is the most famous sexologist of Communist Poland. She fights for the right to publish her book, that should change the sexual life of the Poles forever. Her story was directed by director Maria Sadowska. The premiere of this exceptionally successful Polish title will be part of the first ever award ceremony of the Association of Slovak Film Editors.

Viewers will be able to enjoy a return of the sci-fi cult on the big screen, which is celebrating 40 years this year, since its premiere. In the restored version, we have prepared an exclusive screening, according to many critics, of the best film by Steven Spielberg – Close Encounters of the Third Kind.