Festival “must-see” films: tips from head of programme Tomáš Poštulka

Every year, as One World approaches, people around me ask which films I would recommend, what they definitely shouldn’t miss, and what my personal highlights are. Choosing just a few titles from the nearly one hundred works that my colleagues Kamila and Lea and I selected for the programme together with the remarkable members of our programming board is often almost heartbreaking. What I can do, however, is point out films that represent broader thematic or formal trends reflected in this year’s lineup.

One such film is the poetic, almost spiritual River Dreams. This documentary essay uses nature specifically rivers as its central narrative element, and follows their current in search of the stories of women in Kazakhstan. Through these stories, it explores life’s most fundamental questions in an almost magical way. Hope, dreams, desires, but also disappointment and the hardships of women’s lives merge into a single stream that invites the audience on a unique journey toward understanding lived feminism, as well as Kazakhstan itself.

Films at One World often serve as invitations into distant countries and the lives of specific communities. The documentary SPI opens with a motorcycle ride into a Taiwanese village, which leads us into a mysterious, mist-shrouded world on the threshold between life and death. Director Sayun Simung explores communication with deceased ancestors through dreams, while also daring to confront her tradition-rooted family with her own modern outlook on life. Together with River Dreaming, it is another film by a young female filmmaker that combines poetic spirituality with a powerful and distinctly contemporary reflection on the lives of young women today.

The voice of the younger generation also resonates strongly in this year’s opening film. Meant to Be is a thoroughly modern documentary portrait that intertwines the personal and the political in the turbulent persona of Hungarian rap phenomenon Pogány Induló. The film’s magic lies partly in its dynamic editing, which matches Pogány’s music, and partly in its approach to portraying his personality or rather personalities which are constantly shifting. The film highlights the complexity of self-definition in the modern world, fractured attention, and the difficulties that come with fame at a young age. All of this unfolds against the backdrop of Orbán’s Hungary, where censorship is tightening its grip on every aspect of life.

In general, it is a pleasure to see how debut filmmakers use progressive forms and distinctive stories to address pressing issues in today’s world. And the fact that One World can serve as a platform where they not only present their films but also discuss them with audiences may well be the most valuable thing the festival offers to the public. The creators of all three mentioned films will be attending in person, and I hope you won’t miss them especially with this added value!

Meant to Be – March 11, Kino Lucerna – 21:00

River Dreaming – March 14, Bio Oko – 20:30

SPI – March 15, Bio Oko – 20:30

Photo: Lukáš Bíba