Editor

For the first time the FilmFestival Cottbus shows with DASVIDANIYA a Bollywood movie in its official programm. The movie is part of the section Focus “globalEAST”, which traces the marks of Eastern Europe in the current international cinema. The latest film by Shashant Shah, who will also participate in this year’s feature film jury, is dealing with a book keeper, who is critically ill and learns the meaning of life in his last months. The title of the movie stands not only for the cheerfull-contemplative way of passing away, but also refers to the special film relation between India and Russia from the beginning of the so called “Tauwetter- Periode” under the reign of Nikita Chruschtschow till today, relations that are enjoying a special popularity. In the middle of the 50ies almost 64 millions spectators have seen the succesfull movie of Raj Kapoors AWARA - THE VAGABUND OF BOMBAY. Awara is also the name of the tragic hero from DASVIDANIYA, played by the Indian theatre and moviestar Vinay Pathak, who belongs to the young generation of Indian actors. He will be a guest in Cottbus this year.
In the feature film competition of the FilmFestival Cottbus, which is including ten German premieres from countries as Estland, Kirgistan, Poland or Hungary shows besides European classic art house traces of the commercial cinema. Films like the Serbian TILVA ROS which is about a young skater group in the Serbian industrial province, or the Czechian KAJÍNEK which is flirting with the dramaturgy and aesthetics of American independents combined with modern Hollywood action cinema. KAJÍNEK is based on an authentic case from 1993, when the first contracted killer was sentenced to life imprisonment in dubious circumstances after the smooth revolution. The film broke all visitor records and also renewed the discussion about the myth of the democratic change. The fast-paced thriller from director Petr Jákl, who started after his career as Judo- Champion firstly as a stuntman and later as an actor, convince through a high production value. The director will be expected in Cottbus.
In the Focus section Cottbus is welcoming another guest of honour. At the screening of 2 SUNNY DAYS, the new movie of the Croatian director Ognjen Sviličić, who has shown his previous works at the “Forum” of the Berlinale, will be also the Dutch actress Sylvia Kristel. In the 70ies and 80ies Kristel was known for her role in the erotic series Emmanuelle and other films, but also starring in many different character roles. Sviličić’s new drama which was shooted in English, presents the inner conflicts of a group stranded on the Dalmatian Adria coast during a hunting excursion. Kristel is playing a French tourist with a husband who is suffering from dementia.
A reunion with Emir Kusturica in front of the camera offers the Focus film L’AFFAIRE FAREWELL. In the French espionage – thriller directed by Christian Caron Kusturica plays the KGB member Sergej which hands over information to France to push on the collapse of Russia. The head of the CIA is played by William Dafoe.
In the National Hits section the FilmFestival Cottbus presents blockbusters from Eastern Europe rarely seen abroad. This year the Russian comedy WHAT MEN TALK ABOUT will have its German premiere. Another blockbuster of this section is the Bulgarian-Macedonian-British coproduction MISSION LONDON which makes fun about West-Eastern-European clichés and self-portraits.