A
fourth film from the Czech Republic has been added to
the line-up for the 10 th Bermuda International Film Festival,
March 16-24.
Multi-award winner Something Like Happiness will screen
on Saturday March 17, 6.30 p.m., in the Tradewinds Auditorium
at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.
The
film won seven Czech Lions at the national film awards
in the Czech Republic, taking top honours for best film,
director, actor, actress, supporting actress, cinematography
and screenplay. It has also won festival awards at Athens,
Cottbus and San Sebastian. It screens in Czech with English
subtitles.
The film marks a return to the BIFF lineup by director
Bohdan Slama, whose acclaimed feature, Wild Bees, was
a hit at BIFF 2002, winning Best Feature.
The
filmmaker is widely considered to have carried on the
style made famous by the Czech New Wave in the 1960s.
In his latest feature, he continues his wry, quirky exploration
of the search for love and contentment by those living
on the somber fringes of the Czech Republic. The film
is another sharp observation of idiosyncratic yet strangely
familiar individuals.
Monika,
Tonik and Dasha are friends from the same housing project
in the industrial suburbs of a small Czech city. Good-natured
Monika works at a supermarket while awaiting the call
from her boyfriend George to join him in America. Tonik,
who secretly loves Monika, lives in his aunt’s decaying
farmhouse, which she is trying to protect from being taken
over by a local factory. Dasha, the mother of two small
children, is dating a married man and slowly losing her
grip on reality. Monika and Tonik take over her parenting
duties – but will these lost souls find the love and fulfillment
that has eluded them? This endearing drama proves that
happiness can come when and where it is least expected.
The film replaces the documentary, The Meaning of the
21 st Century, which has been pulled from the festival
line-up by filmmaker James Martin because editing will
not be finished in time. Also out of the line-up is Mixing
Nia, by Bermudian director Alison Swan, who has experienced
problems with the film print.
Tickets
to BIFF 2007 are available now from the festival web site,
www.biff.bm , or from the box office
at #6 Passenger Terminal, Front Street, Hamilton. The
box office is open daily, except Sunday, from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m.
The
mission of the Bermuda International Film Festival is
to advance the love of independent film from around the
world, and create a community welcoming to filmmakers
and filmgoers.
Media
Contact:
Duncan
Hall
Deputy
Festival Director
Bermuda
International Film Festival
Tel:
293-3456
Fax:
293-7769
E-mail:
deputydirector@biff.bm