Film Festival Zlin plans special events for 50th anniversary

The Film Festival Ziln, the oldest festival devoted to cinema for young people, will celebrate its 50^th anniversary this year.

The festival will run May 30-June 6 in Ziln, in the eastern Czech Republic.”We are expecing attendance at the Festival this year to be over one hundred thousand,” Film Festival Zlin artistic director Petr Koliha announced. “The 50th anniversary has already aroused much interest in the Czech Republic and abroad.”

Events planned for this year include the European Children’s Film Association special forum.

The festival is planning an exhibit devoted to Czech animator Karel Zeman, marking the 100^th anniversary of his birth. Zlin will also mark the centenary of the birth of Elmar Klos (The Shop on Main Street), one of the co-founders of Zlin’s film studios.

Also being celebrated is the 70^th anniversary of the Zliennale, an early European film showcase.

Zlin will also host a special non-competitive country focus section devoted to the Czech Republic.