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Ten short films from seven countries have been selected to compete in the third edition of the Film O'Clock International Festival.
The festival will take place February 28 - March 4, with simultaneous runs in cinemas/physical spaces in seven countries: Lithuania, Ukraine, Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, Egypt and South Africa, as well as a series of online discussions and debates, told Agerpres.
In Romania, the Film O'Clock International Festival will be hosted by the Muzeul Taranului Cinema Hall in Bucharest.
The selection committee was composed of three renowned members - Andrew Mohsen, film critic and artistic director of the Cairo International Film Festival; Zhana Kalinova, programmer of the Sofia International Film Festival, and Mirona Radu, director, producer and director of the O'Clock International Film Festival.
From over 70 entries received from the participating countries, the committee chose the 10 films that will compete for the festival awards: "Aurica, a Dog's Life", directed by Mihai Dragolea (Romania); "Canary," directed by Chrysoula Korovesi and Marios Gampierakis (Greece); "Dad's sneakers," directed by Olha Zhurba (Ukraine); "Iota Period Omega," directed by Alexis Alexiou (Greece); "Liturgy of Anti-Tank Obstacles," directed by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk (Ukraine); "My Girl Friend," directed by Kawthar Younis (Egypt); "On/Off," directed by Jurg Slabbert (South Africa); "Parking Lot," directed by Jore Janaviciute (Lithuania); "Theatrical Romance," directed by Teodora-Kosara Popova (Bulgaria); and "To Vancouver", directed by Artemis Anastasiadou (Greece).
"I am very excited about this year's selection for it is challenging, full of strength and creativity. I am sure that it will satisfy the most demanding moviegoers and that it will be a starting point for substantial discussions with creators. I would like to remind you that we, Film O' Clock, we want to improve the viewing experience by means of moderated discussions after the screenings. For those for whom the previous festival experience is important, all the selected films brilliantly respond to this requirement, bringing together laurels from Venice, Berlinale, Locarno and Sundance," said Mirona Radu is quoted as saying in a press release.
In addition to film screenings and discussions with the creative teams, the festival will organise two online events on March 4.
At 11:30hrs, "Rethinking the Classics: A Modern Perspective" will be organised, a conference that will bring together film buffs, filmmakers, film critics and other industry experts to examine the definition of a "modern classic" and how films fall into this category "challenging heritage." The conference will also focus on the new generation of filmmakers and how they reflect on the past and the present.
"Her Story, Her Future: Empowering Women in the Film Industry," a conference that will explore the power of mentoring and networking as a way to support and encourage women in the film industry, will be organised at 15:00hrs, providing information about platforms and initiatives in participating countries that explore opportunities for interaction and collaboration.
The International Film O'Clock Festival was founded in 2021 with the aim of creating a communication and discussion platform for film lovers and filmmakers living in countries within the same time zone, the 25th meridian east, to celebrate time, empathy and cultural diversity.
The third edition of the festival is organised and produced by Creatrix Fama and the ABI Foundation.
