directed by Ivan Ostrochovský, drama, 75 min, eng subtitles
written by Marek Leščák, Ivan Ostrochovský
with Peter Baláž, Zvonko Lakčević, Ján Franek, and Stanislava and Nikola Bongilajová
Peter ‘Koza’ Baláž is a former Olympic boxer. He lives with his girlfriend Miša in a dilapidated housing estate, constantly struggling to make ends meet. Koza finds out that Miša is pregnant and wants an abortion, so he steps back into the ring, hoping to earn some much-needed cash. With his manager, Zvonko, he embarks on a road trip to take part in countless fights, where success often seems impossible. How many blows must Koza take to earn a decent living for this family?
Koza features Peter Baláž, who competed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and Ján Franek, Olympic medallist at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, as his coach. Featuring the outstanding performances of non-professional actors and blurring the lines between representation and presence, Koza is a powerful and haunting challenge to the concept of authenticity.
Awards
GoEast 2015 (Best Director, FIPRESCI Prize)
Vilnius IFF 2015 (Grand Prix)
Berlin IFF 2015 (nominated for Best First Feature)
With the support of the Slovak Embassy in Brussels