Pragueshorts: National Competition 2

For the past several years, the National Competition has presented audiences the best that domestic cinema has to offer. This year’s three blocks boast a total of fifteen films, a number which not only reflects the fact that Pragueshorts has recently opened itself up to animated and documentary works but that also shows the earnest joy felt by the programming team at the quality of the submissions.

In this block, you will find Leila Basma’s Sea Salt, a story about bidding farewell to one’s native land, shown at least year’s Venice Film Festival; Marie-Magdalena Kochová’s 3MWh, a stylistically refined and sympathetically “woke” report on the state of the world today, which was screened in late January in Rotterdam; and Natálie Durchánková’s Student Oscar-nominated animated film Rising Above. Niko Mlynarčík’s distinctive Wereawolf shows all kinds of beings peering forth from the cracks between the virtual and material worlds, while Greta Stocklassa’s fresh mockumentary Buzz of the Earth takes a clever look at what message humankind should send alien civilizations. The three-member international jury will present an award for Best Czech Film, which comes with a financial reward of 2,000 euros.

3MWh / Marie-Magdalena Kochová / Czech Republic, 2024 / 12 min – A nuclear power plant worker has set a maximum limit on how much electricity he can use. Now he must decide where to put the energy he has left in his life.

Buzz of the Earth / Greta Stocklassa / Czech Republic, 2023 / 29 min – The European Space Agency forms a team of scientists to craft a message to send to alien civilizations. As they work to compile a comprehensive report on humanity, the team is faced with unexpected challenges, including debates on what should be said and how it should be expressed. The film takes a humorous look at the complexities of human existence.

Wereawolf / Niko Mlynarčík / Czech Republic, 2023 / 7 min – An animated short about sparkledogs, werewolves, and other things that are just drawings.

Rising Above / Natálie Durchánková / Czech Republic, 2023, 4 min – Based on events told by a survivor who almost lost her life in a violent sexually motivated assault, the film reveals her harrowing experience and the subsequent emotional toll it has taken on her. The film follows her journey of healing and self-discovery as she finds a way to move forward, highlighting the resilience and courage of all survivors.

Sea Salt / Leila Basma / Czech Republic, Lebanon, Qatar, 2023, 19 min On this hot summer day, 17-year-old Nayla is faced with the same dilemma every Lebanese youngster is faced with today – to leave or to stay. Two men in her life have set ideas about it, but both might wake up to a surprise.