The 28th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival will run from 25 October to 3 November 2024, marking its first ten-day iteration. The festival’s programme includes over 340 films, with many premiering globally, regionally, or within Europe. Directors #Kirsten Johnson#, #Roberto Minervini#, #Albert Serra#, #Andrei Ujică#, and #Tsai Ming-liang# will be featured in various capacities, including masterclasses and retrospective screenings.
One of the major highlights of the festival is a tribute to Taiwanese New Wave director Tsai Ming-liang, with seven of his films being screened, including Good Bye Dragon Inn (2003) and Where (2022), part of his well-known Walker series. Tsai’s work often explores themes of loneliness, time, and memory, blending elements of slow cinema with conceptual art and performance.
Roberto Minervini, an Italian director based in the U.S., will return to Ji.hlava after the pandemic hindered his planned appearance in 2020. His films, such as The Damned and Stop the Pounding Heart (2014), delve into historical and contemporary themes in American life, often blurring the line between documentary and fiction.
Romanian director Andrei Ujică, known for his work with archival footage, will present his latest film Things We Said Today, which reflects on the divided political climate of 1960s America. Albert Serra will also be in attendance, presenting his new film Afternoons of Solitude, an exploration of the world of corrida through the lens of famous bullfighter Andrés Roca Rey.
The festival will also feature retrospectives, including a showcase of Swiss filmmaker #Anne-Marie Miéville#, a longtime collaborator of Jean-Luc Godard. Her works, from Here and Elsewhere (1976) to Souvenir d’Utopie (2006), will be screened.
Ji.hlava continues to focus on emerging filmmakers through the First Lights section, which showcases debut and sophomore works. This year, films such as Me + You by Belgian directors Zohra Benhammou and Romy Mana, and Us and the Night by Australian filmmaker Audrey Lam, will be highlighted.
The Opus Bonum section presents notable works such as A Year in the Life of a Country by #Tomasz Wolski#, which uses archival footage to examine Poland’s state of emergency in 1981, and Happiness to All by Filip Remunda, capturing contemporary life in Siberia amidst changing political tides.
Overall, the 28th Ji.hlava IDFF promises a dynamic program filled with a diverse range of documentary styles, from emerging voices to seasoned filmmakers, exploring a wide spectrum of political, social, and existential themes.
Find the complete J.hlava IDFF 2024 programme – HERE
