Jura Or Moravia, Where To Go For Children Films?

In Europe, June is the month of the dilemma’s for those trying to pick the best of children and school films programmes. The situation is not new; two festivals, one situated on the shores of the Annecy Lake in the Jura region (France), and one, situated at the border with Slovakia, in the Moravia region (Czech Republic,) are both offering the best of the genre – at the same time of the year since 45 and 48 years respectively.

The choice between going to Annecy instead of going to Zlin is rather simple when business is concern. No other place than the French International Animation Film Festival of Annecy can pretend gathering such a large number of professional delegates – not less than 6.700 from 63 countries at this edition. Buyers are coming to Annecy where they can find the equivalent to the Cannes Marché du Film. But, if business is not a priority; then why not heading to Zlin?

At this edition, the Czech Children Festival proposed a programme which was more relevant to the ASEM films showcases. The two feature films that participated in the International competition were Euro-Asia co-production or, have been made with Euro-Asian teams.

“MOZART IN CHINA” - an Austrian, German, China co- production by Bernd Neuburger was shot in Austria and, last August. on Hai Nan, the Chinese Island. The film follows two Austrian classmates on their way to summer holidays in China, where one of them has his family. Moving from Salzburg – the city of Mozart to China will give the kids the opportunity to discover what it means to be a foreigner in each other’s country.

“WHERE IS WINKY´S HORSE?” a Dutch - Belgian co production by Mischa Kamp – presented earlier this year, at the Opening Film of the Kinderfest, Berlin International Film Festival 2008. With “WHERE IS WINKY´S HORSE?”, Mischa Kamp
prolonged in Moravia, the international amazing success of the Dutch production house BOS BROSS, which specialized in children film productions.

The film is a feature that brings Winky Wong (Ebbie Tam) back to the stages. After “WINKY'S HORSE” children are now invited to follow the little Chinese girl with a special connection to Saint Nicholas (a Belgian-Dutch equivalent to Santa Claus.)
This time, Saint Nicholas has gone back to Spain. He won't be back until next year. Till then, Winky’s mission is to take good care of his horse Amerigo, What happens when children don’t listen to what adults say? This is the thriller element of the second film on Winky.

Beside of the International Feature Films Competition, and an International Feature Films Competition for films from the Visegrad countries (Slovakia, Hunary, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic), the organizers of the ZLINFEST also proposed a Japanese section of ANIME and a Panorama, in which Liew Seng Tat movie “FLOWER IN THE POCKET” was presented. The Malaysian multi-award winning production has just gone on its Spanish premiere, at the Festival de Granada Cines Del Sur (30 May 2008 to 7 June 2008)

And here is the conclusion.
Next June is probably going to increase the difficulties of those trying to pick the best of children film programmes, as new festivals are now highly rewarding top films in this genre. At the 2nd edition of the Festival de Granada Cines Del Sur, the Silver Alhambra for the Best Director went to Indian filmmaker Shivajee Chandrabhushan for his film set in a small village surrounded by the Himalayas peaks.
“FROZEN” received a trophy and a cash prize of €30,000!
This can explain why Santa Claus moved to Spain. But, there is still a question. Where will you go next June?

THE ANNECY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
http://www.annecy.org/home/index.php?Page_ID=2

ZLIN
The Moravian city that hosts the children film festival is small in size, but it is incredibly rich in cultural and educational resources. The hometown of the Bata shoes brand, counts since 2007 a University with an Erasmus programme in Multimedia and Communication.
An important number of students from Mongolia study at the Thomas Bata University of Zlin. Here is the link on their blog
http://eba2007-utb.blogspot.com/2007/11/profile-of-university-of-thomas-bata.html

FILM SCHOOL ZLIN
The school is built n the ground of one of the oldest animation film studio owned by Thomas Bata for the advertising of his products, and, also for training, and teaching purpose in the Bata shoes company
http://filmovaskola.cz//en/index.php

FLOWER IN THE POCKET – the blog and the awards list
http://www.dahuangpictures.com/blogs/hana.php?cat=141

FROZEN presented at the Granada festival Cines Del Sur
http://www.cinesdelsur.com/pelicula.php?id=9

By Gyora Gal Glupczynski