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CINEAST 2015 BRINGS A CLOSER LOOK AT...
Andrzej ¯u³awski (1940), the guest of honour of the 8th edition and the president of the international jury, is an internationally acclaimed film director with a career spanning over 45 years. His films have earned him numerous awards and he is undoubtedly one of the most renowned filmmakers from the region covered by the CinEast festival. You can explore Andrzej ¯ulawski’s original artistic style in the classic film Possession (1981) as well as his new opus Cosmos, awarded at the Locarno Film Festival earlier this year and which will be screened right after the Awards ceremony. And, of course, don’t miss the masterclass for a rare opportunity to get a better understanding of Mr. ¯ulawski’s work.
Ivaylo Hristov (1955) is a well-known Bulgarian actor and director, with a very good name in both film and theatre. As a film director, he has taken the top prize at this year’s Moscow Film Festival with his second feature, the black-and-white coming-of-age comedy Losers. He will present the film personally at CinEast on 21 October and we will also screen his directorial debut Emigrants. Finally, you will be able to evaluate his acting skills too, because he plays one of the main roles in the very fresh film Thirst by Svetla Tsotsorkova.
Jiøí Koneèný (1973) is the man behind the production company Endorfilm based in Prague. We have been closely following the films (co-) produced by Endorfilm for a long time now and screened some of them in the past (Made in Ash, Matchmaking Mayor, etc.). Besides his excellent background in business and film production, Jiøí proves to have a nose for promising and awards-attracting projects – three of which are on our programme: Family Film, Aferim! and Koza.
Andrzej Chyra (1964) is one of the most talented and sought after Polish actors of his generation. He has played many unforgettable parts under the guidance of renowned directors Andrzej Wajda, Krzysztof Zanussi, Volker Schlöndorff, Krzysztof Krauze and Juliusz Machulski. CinEast festival-goers will have the opportunity to see him in The Collector and have a laidback chat with him at the Ancien Cinéma on 18 October and also participate in the Q&A after the screening of Carte Blanche.
Mandragora is one of the most dynamic production companies in Romania, founded by Cristi Puiu and Anca Puiu in 2004. Mandragora is committed to the idea of making movies that explore new paths in cinematography and, with an impressive catalogue including The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Aurora, Morgen (CinEast 2010 Grand Prix & Audience Award) and Viktoria (CinEast 2014 Special Jury Prize), the company has been shaping new Romanian cinema as we know it. And we are proud to be able to present its two latest productions Self-Portrait of a Dutiful Daughter and Back Home.