The 20th anniversary Art Film Fest offered audiences the exclusive Slovak premiere of 360, the international co-production from Oscar-winning filmmakers, whose cast includes Hollywood stars alongside Slovak actresses Lucia Siposová and Gabriela Marcinková.
Art Film Fest managed to acquire this latest work of director Fernando Meirelles well before its official distribution. The mosaic-like film, intertwining the fates of various characters, has only been screened at last autumn’s Toronto IFF, London IFF and now at Art Film Fest. According to the latest updates, it appears that the film will likely never arrive in Slovak cinemas.
“It wasn’t easy to get our hands on 360 for Art Film Fest. And we could have filled a cinema three times the size of ours. That’s how much interest there was in the film,” said Peter Nágel, Art Film Fest’s director and programmer of the European Corner section, which includes 360.
“And while I won’t be introducing Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins or Rachel Weisz, I’d like to give all the warmer a welcome to Slovak actresses Lucia Siposová and Gabriela Marcinková,” he added.
For both Slovak performers, appearing in an international production was a pivotal experience. They were cast in the British/Austrian/French/Brazilian co-production after successfully auditioning.
Their roles, where they appear alongside famous actors, are integral to the film’s plot. Siposová portrays Slovak prostitute Blanka, who seeks out rich businessmen with whom to ply her lucrative trade. Her daydreaming, innocent sister is played by Marcinková. The film devotes equal attention to both actresses as it does to their celebrity co-stars.
Piece by piece, the picture reveals the entangled fates of different characters living in various cities, each working through personal failings and searching for happiness in their own way. The cosmopolitan cast includes performers from Paris, Vienna, Rio, Denver, London, Phoenix, and of course Bratislava, and the setting is equally international, spanning faraway corners of the Earth.
“When I first read the screenplay, I could immediately tell it was extremely well written. I liked the way it connected various parts of the globe, showing how small the world really is, and how we all go through similar issues in our lives, no matter where we live,” said Siposová.
“Everyone has moments in life when you don’t know where your decision will take you. That’s part of what this film is about,” continued Marcinková. Her interior monologue in Slovak begins and concludes the film. She says that we are all on a journey, and everyone will eventually come to a crossroads, with no idea where each path leads.
Thanks to 360, Marcinková now has an agent in London, and has already appeared in Oscar-winning director Neil Jordan’s latest film Byzantium, which was shot in Ireland.
Art Film Fest will screen 360 again on 23 June at 4 pm at Trenčín’s Artkino Metro.
Art Film Fest 2012 – the 20th International Trenčianske Teplice/Trenčín Film Festival
The festival is held under the auspices of Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic Robert Fico.
Organizers: ART FILM, n.o., FORZA, a.s.
Co-organizers: The Town of Trenčianske Teplice, the City of Trenčín, Kúpele Trenčianske Teplice
Financial Support: The Audiovisual Fund
General Sponsors: KOOPERATIVA poisťovňa Vienna Insurance Group, Privatbanka
Main Sponsors: Omnia Holding SE, Slovnaft, AquaCity Poprad, Hydrotour Travel Agency
Official Transport Provider: Lancia
Logistics Sponsor: DHL
Student cinepasses for only €5 provided by Prvá stavebná sporiteľňa, a. s.
Sponsors: TIPOS, Slovak Telekom, Penzión Baske, Cinemax, Forza CZ, Omnia Motors, Omnia 2000, DOMO Omnia, Omnia KLF
Official Suppliers: značka Moët, Hotel Pax – the festival spa hotel, NAY Elektrodom, Esterle&Esterle, MF team, LampART, Stredná odborná škola polygrafická
Main Media Sponsors: Slovak Radio and Television, Pravda, Rádio FM, zoznam.sk
Media Sponsors: TA 3, TV JOJ, Film Europe Channel, Central Europe Television, Rádio Europa 2, .týždeň, Eurotelevízia, Pardon, OK!, Kinečko, Kam do mesta, Focus, GONG SK, Boomerang Media, SITA News Agency, Pay-Per Vision Media, euroAWK, Bittner-print, moviemania.sk, filmneweurope.com
Partners: The Trenčín Self-governing Region, the European Commission Representation in Slovakia, the Slovak Film Institute, the Embassy of Israel in Slovakia, CzechTourism, Celtima SK, Hotel Flóra, KURSALON, versity, the Bratislava Culture and Information Centre, Hollywood Classic Entertainment, Niagara, Magic Box Slovakia, the Italian Cultural Institute in Bratislava, Istituto Luce – Cinecittá, Character – Film Development Association
