The international film Festival of Freedom starts on 12 November in Bratislava. In addition to film screenings, there will be discussions, stage performances and a photo exhibition. The main topic of the festival is the period of oppression not only in Slovakia, but also in other post-soviet countries, such as Czech republic, Poland or Hungary.
The festival is organised by Nation´s Memory Institute in cooperation with ENRS and other partners, under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic, Andrej Kiska and the Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic, Marek Maďarič.
Participants of the festival will have a chance to see several film premieres in Slovakia, including: “Train of Freedom“ (Germany 2014), “Stars behind the iron curtain“ (Czech Republic 2014), “Magical voice of rebel“(Czech Republic 2014), and “The Soviet Story“ (Latvia 2008). Program of the film screenings is available at www.festivalslobody.sk/filmy. Entrance to all screenings is free. The film festival will be held in the House of Culture “Dúbravka” in Bratislava.
The official opening of the Festival will take place on 12 November (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. and it will be attended by the Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic, Marek Maďarič. After the official part, a film “Walesa. Man of Hope” (Poland 2014) will be presented.
On Thursday, an exhibition of photos taken by Jozef Mýtny during the days of revolution of 1989 will be opened. On Friday a meeting next to a memorial plaque on the building of Comenius University will take place on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the student march of 16 November 1989. The festival will end with a discussion with former dissidents and freedom fighters from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Germany on Sunday, 16 November at 6 p.m.
One-day festival events will take place also in other Slovak cities. Film screenings and discussions with experts from the Nation's Memory Institute will take place on 24 November in Nitra, on 26 November in Ružomberok and on 27 November in Košice.
Full information about the Festival of Freedom on the festival’s website.