Little Europe Filmfestival

The second edition of the Little Europe festival brings films about women, but by far not only for women. What unites the fate of individual heroines from different historical times, ages and backgrounds? Do they manage to survive in a male-dominated environment?  Will you find them sympathetic? Find out on 7-9 May at the Toldi cinema!

Tickets on sale from 18 April.

AUSTRIA

Mermaids Don’t Cry | 9 May | 18:00 | Big Hall

Austria, 2022, 92 mins

Feature film, in German with English and Hungarian subtitles

THE SUPERMARKET CASHIER DREAMS OF HAVING A SYNTHETIC MERMAID FIN TO DISTRACT HERSELF FROM HER EVERYDAY LIFE.

Annika, a supermarket cashier, dreams of the perfect mermaid fin. It would bring glamour into her chaotic world where her father moves back in with her, her girlfriend asks her to look after her children and her potential lover stays at her place because he is homeless. There are also plans to make savings in the supermarket and the shamanically trained branch manager is looking for potential lay-offs. But none of that matters: Annika needs the fin and it costs 2.458 euro.

After the screening, there will be a discussion with director Franziska Pflaum.

Franziska Pflaum (*1987) – director and guest

She works as a film director and an author. She studied arts at the Academy of Arts in Vienna and finished her film studies at the Konrad Wolf University in Babelsberg. She won the German Short Film Award in 2014.

CZECHIA

Her Body | 9 May | 20:00 | Big Hall

Czechia / Slovakia, 2023, 108 mins

Feature film, in Czech with English and Hungarian subtitles

AFTER THE FORCED END OF HER SPORTS CAREER, A SUCCESSFUL ATHLETE BECOMES A WELL-KNOWN PORN ACTRESS.

Her Body is inspired by a true story which took place in Prague in the 1990s. Andrea, a young, top high diver, is training for the Atlanta Olympics. Her parents and coach, but especially Andrea herself, value success and performance above everything else. However, her athletic career unexpectedly comes to an end due to an injury. Because her body is the only tool she has used for success, Andrea finds a new use for it – in the porn industry. She soon gains fame, independence, and the freedom to finally do what she wants. But in the end, she is forced to slow down. The film focuses on the question of the freedom to do what one wants with one’s own body, as well the potential limits of that freedom.

Natálie Císařovská (*1988) – director

She was born in Prague, Czech Republic. She graduated in history at the Charles University in Prague and Sorbonne in Paris. She also studied documentary film under the guidance of Helena Třeštíková at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. Her main interests lie at the border between documentary and fiction, a border that she frequently transgresses in her work. She focuses on human stories and their peculiar poetic microworlds.

POLAND

Woman on the Roof | 8 May | 20:00 | Small Hall

Poland / Sweden / France, 2022, 97 mins

Feature film, in Polish with English and Hungarian subtitles

THE STORY OF AN ORDINARY ELDERLY WOMAN WHO COMMITS A BANK ROBBERY.

Mira, a 60 year-old woman, appears to have a normal life. One morning, she starts her day like any other: she wakes up early, puts her family’s clothes out to dry, purchases food for her fish and commits a bank robbery with a kitchen knife. She discovers her need for money is surpassed only by her need for love. The film is based on a true story.

Anna Jadowska (*1973) – director

She is a graduate of the Polish National Film Television and Theatre School in Łódź. She is a TV and feature film director. Her most recent film Woman on the Roof premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and it was awarded Best Performance for the leading actress Dorota Pomykała. This film will be screened at the Little Europe Film Festival.

ROMANIA

Ivana the Terrible  | 8 May | 18:00 | Big Hall

Romania / Serbia, 2019, 86 mins

Feature film, in Romanian with English and Hungarian subtitles

A RISING ACTOR RETURNS TO HER HOMETOWN TO RECOVER FROM A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS, BUT RUMOURS ABOUT HER PERSONAL LIFE DISRUPT THE GETAWAY.

Ivana works as an actress in Romania, but after she is confronted with some health issues, she decides to spend the summer in her small Serbian hometown by the Danube, surrounded by family. She is asked by the mayor to be the image of the local music festival and she reluctantly accepts it. But after her eccentric friends arrive from Bucharest and her love life involving a much younger boyfriend becomes the town’s gossip, Ivana is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. The film is based on a true story.

Ivana Mladenović (*1984) – director

Ivana Mladenović studied Law in Belgrade and then moved to Romania where she studied film direction at the National School of Film and Theatre in Bucharest. Her films were shown and awarded at various film festivals around the world. Ivana the Terrible won the Special Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival and the Golden Pram at the Zagreb Film Festival.

SLOVAKIA

The Chambermaid | 7 May | 20:00 | Big Hall

Slovakia / Czechia, 2023, 110 mins

Feature film, in Slovak and Czech with English and Hungarian subtitles

HISTORICAL DRAMA ABOUT LOVE BETWEEN TWO TEENAGE GIRLS FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SOCIAL LADDER.

Just before World War I, the 15-year-old poor Anka, who comes from a small Slovak town, moves to Prague to work as a chambermaid in a wealthy family. She meets Resi, the daughter of a noble family, who was born and raised to be an adornment and a trophy of the house, of her family, of Austria-Hungary. The two girls find a soulmate in each other. They become best friends, lovers and allies in the world run by men.

After the screening, there will be a discussion with director Mariana Čengel-Solčanská and Hana Lasicová screenwriter.

Mariana Čengel-Solčanská (*1978) – director

Mariana Čengel Solčanská was born in Nitra. She studied at the Charles University in Prague and at the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, earning a degree in Political Science and Cultural Studies. Additionally, she studied film and TV direction under the guidance of the director Martin Sulik. She lives in Bratislava. Although her work (e.g. the films The General, Janosik and The Trial of the Dead) mainly focuses on historical topics and material, she has also created two political thrillers (Abduction and Swine).

Guest: director Mariana Čengel-Solčanská; Hana Lasicová screenwriter.

SLOVENIA

Woman of God | 7 May | 18:00 | Small Hall

Slovenia, 2023, 98 mins

Documentary, in Slovenian with English and Hungarian subtitles

A PROTESTANT PASTOR DEALS WITH A SPIRITUAL DILEMMA, A LIFE-THREATENING DISEASE AND SEXUAL ABUSE.

Jana is a Evangelical Protestant pastor working in two small parishes in deprived villages on Slovenian outskirts. She has overcome childhood sexual abuse and a rebellious youth marked with troubled relationships. With her humorous and open spirit and in constant “search for God”, she feels more and more trapped in the traditional teachings of her Church. After all, it takes courage to stand up for your own beliefs and confront long buried family wounds as your body battles a life-threatening disease.

Maja Prettner (*1987) – director

Maja Prettner studied film direction at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. She has been working on documentary and fiction series and films with different television broadcasters. Her works have been shown at film festivals in Slovenia and abroad. Home Sweet Home was her first award-winning documentary feature. In 2018, she was selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus as part of the Berlinale festival.