Ivan Pokorný about THE SCENT OF ORANGES

Rules are to be broken

Darek has to look after his mentally handicapped sister Ema, ever since his father has difficulty coping with life. But the summer season looks promising. A herd of sick horses that have become useless to their owners arrives on the farm, and Darek takes a liking to these fast trotting “angels”. Then there is Hanna, who beguilingly smells of oranges. In the Filem’on festivals in Brussels, I speak with Ivan Pokorný about this vibrant teenager story with an opening scene that drags you into the film with its fast paced editing.

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Josep Arbiol about MiCe

Same goal, different approach

From a one-man project in Valencia to a worldwide network of festivals in which the work of professional directors is appreciated, yet remains in the shadow of films made by children. Josep Arbiol, founder of the MiCe festival in Valencia, is a buccaneer who sees opportunities that others ignore. With lights twinkling in his eyes, he is trying to put the funk back in media education. A clown with a mission, about which he tells with great passion.

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Work in progress: TWICE UPON A TIME

Nika is 9 years old and a spoiled, rebellious princess. Years after her mother’s death, she is still trying to win the attention of her father, the Poet King. Until she finds out that her father’s neglect is caused by his split personality, the Warrior King. The two kings are rivalling with each other, thus ruining the kingdom with their opposed strategies. Nika now has to save herself, save the kingdom and, most importantly, help her father overcome the loss of her mother, which was the initial cause of his split personality. TWICE UPON A TIME was successfully pitched at the CEE Animation Forum, where we spoke with Vojin Vasovic (director & producer) and Milorad Kocic (producer).

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Cassandra Offenberg about CHAMP

“We’ve set a rose and a bed on fire”

Cassandra Offenberg is carefully accosted by an employee of the doxs! festival: if she can please stay in Duisburg for one more night to attend the closing ceremony? That implicates two times good news: she might win a festival award (indeed, the ECFA Doc Award) and we have the opportunity to interview the director of yet another rock-solid documentary under the Dutch Kids & Docs label.

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