On 4 June, the opening ceremony of the 10th International Film Festival Kino Otok - Isola Cinema is launching a 5-day festival schedule of screenings, Q&A sessions, film industry panels, filmmaking and creative workshops, art exhibitions and much more. Set on the Slovenian coast, with screenings taking place outdoors under the stars in the old town of Izola, Kino Otok promotes genuine interaction between filmmakers and audiences, making the event an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
The festival will open with France/Chad coproduction Grigris in the presence of award-winning director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun. The subtly stylized but realistic testament to all those who defy the harsh reality with invincible will and a smile on their face won the Vulcan Award in Cannes last year. Haroun remains one of the rare messengers to be able to speak of contemporary Africa - or, contemporary Chad - with compassion and sensitivity for human dignity.
Four Faces of India to mark 100 years of Indian cinema
Another award-winning author, Shaji N. Karun, returns to Izola after his appearance at the festival's first edition in 2004. In The Voiding Soul, his rich tapestry of sound, dance, love, passion, jealousy and conservative ignorance invokes a story of an individual and of the society, of an inspiring and destructive devotion to art and of a tight bond between two hearts.
After opening the 1st edition of Kino Otok in 2004, Indian film has become its constant companion. This year, the tradition continues on an even greater scale with four different faces of India, including the legendary The Vagabond (Awara, 1951) by Raj Kapoor, one of the most successful films of all times.
The programme of 10th Kino Otok is to browse various coordinates of space and time, focusing on new Galician cinema, the emerging young generation of artists from South-Eastern Europe, and on some of the biggest legends in the business. In addition to Mahamat-Saleh Haroun and Shaji N. Karun, the guests arriving to Izola include Eloy Enciso Cachafeiro with Arraianos, Ernesto de Nova with Hassan’s Way, Gabe Klinger with Double Play: James Benning and Richard Linklater, Vicky McClure and Jonny Owen with Svengali, Siegfried A. Fruhauf with a programme of short films, Stefan Ivančić with Springtime Suns and Moonless Summer, and many more.
For full festival line-up and more information, please visit www.isolacinema.org, or follow www.facebook.com/KinoOtok.