A carnivalesque, chaotic, playful, and anarchic contribution by Elo Havetta to the Czechoslovak New Wave. A visual fireworks display of ideas and an abundance of poetry as a metaphor for freedom. The film was locked away in the communist vault and banned from screening until the November Revolution of 1989.
This touching documentary follows 11‑year‑old Santino, who grows up in a traveling circus with his extended family and animals. His eighty‑year‑old great‑grandfather, one of Germany’s last great circus directors, shares stories and on Santino’s birthday challenges him to discover his own talent and contribute to the community. A road‑movie with animated touches, evoking freedom, belonging, and the magic of nomadic life.
Instead of the traditional selection of short films from the Slovak Film Institute archives, this time we present only two films – and believe it or not, less is truly more in this case. Although they are quite different in style – the first represents critical documentary filmmaking, while the second is an auteur, artistic, and almost experimental documentary – they are united by a shared sense of civic and artistic freedom, as well as the fate of being “vaulted films” (films banned or shelved during their time). The screening is curated and introduced by film historian Eva Filová.
On June 12, 1971, in Zákamenné, artist Alex Mlynárčik organized the celebration Day of Joys – “If All the Trains of the World...” in honor of the old train Gondkulák and its final journey on the Orava forest railway. The event brought together young artists from the unofficial scene and their friends, railway workers, and local residents, accompanied by spontaneous artistic actions, musical and dance improvisations. Hanák does not simply document the event but selects fragments of it, complementing them with interviews, staged shots, and diverse found footage, creating a rich collage based on free associations and sound–image counterpoint.
A landmark collective work in which a dozen directors and cinematographers from Krátky Film documented the turbulent socio-political developments from the winter of 1967/68 to April 1968 — the reform process known as the Prague Spring. The documentary is composed of surveys, discussions, speeches, compelling statements to the camera, and archival footage. Among the figures featured are prominent cultural personalities, writers, journalists, and politicians: Pavel Kohout, Anton Hykisch, Roman Kaliský, Gustáv Husák, Eugen Löbl, Ladislav Novomeský, Marie Švermová, Daniel Okáli, Ladislav Holdoš, Alexander Dubček, and others. The individual thematic sections are interspersed with music clips by the band Prúdy, filmed in well-known Bratislava outdoor locations.
An almost three-hour French account of the Second World War. Acclaimed director René Clément, together with some of the most famous actors of his time, created a gripping and thrilling fresco about the final days of occupied Paris. Fictionalized, yet entirely based on true events.
Five losers from the small town of Maaskantje all lose their jobs at once — they blame the crisis, but it’s really their own fault. They immediately blow their social benefits on beer and gas. When the authorities refuse to increase their support, they’re left with only one solution: never pay for anything ever again... The film is based on a cult TV series that was so popular the Maaskantje town sign had to be replaced regularly because fans kept stealing it. The film broke box office records and made it into the Top 20 most popular Dutch films of all time.
Musician, performer, and mischief-maker Samuel Szabo was, according to his website, born in 1988. In 1998, he turned ten. In 2006, he reached adulthood. Since then, he’s been getting a year older every year. He loves playing with things that make sound. When they took away his toys as he grew up, he had to make do with these. We’re looking forward to seeing how he makes do at Four Elements, during his concert in the attic of Art Cafe.
Free entry for Four Elements cinepass holders. Entry for others: €5.
After last year’s success, Four Elements once again bring their audience a special midnight screening — once again shrouded in mystery. Only a handful of insiders know which film it will be, and even some members of the crew and curators are waiting in suspense. Those who already have an idea of what’s coming are just as curious to see whether the audience will respond with laughter and joy, or rather with shock and awe. Come and let yourself be surprised — Four Elements have prepared a unique midnight experience for you.
Hal Ashby, one of the most important American directors of the 1970s, made a genre-defying film that oscillates between black comedy, social drama, and romantic story. Upon its premiere, it was met with great hesitation by critics, but over time this beautiful film became a huge audience hit and is still regularly screened in film clubs around the world.
84-year-old Vika is the star of Warsaw’s club scene. This charismatic retiree DJ surrounds herself with young people, and her life motto is that age is just a number. But when her health suddenly begins to deteriorate, Vika can no longer deny the passage of time. Polish director Agnieszka Zwiefka focuses in her work on documentary portraits of people who, in various ways, have found themselves on the margins of society. This time, she explores the topic of old age and retirement as the “autumn of life” — a period that doesn’t have to be passive or lethargic.
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(advance registration required / only in Slovak)
No more dust ‑collecting gifts on the shelf. Birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas come around quickly—and most of us long for memorable experiences instead of objects. But how do you “wrap” an experience? What might an experiential gift actually look like?
This Four Elements workshop introduces the basics of custom experience design. Participants explore a variety of examples—from unusual date ideas and “escape‑room‑in‑a‑box” games to interactive storytelling—and start shaping their own experiential gifts for someone close to them.
Find more information on the festival website.
Instructor: Peter Gašparík
A long‑time member of the Four Elements team, Peter has moved from volunteer to PR manager and now curator of the accompanying programme. He is also a screenwriter and teaches screenwriting at the Film and Television Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU).
Peter’s interest in interactive storytelling led him to four editions of Bulgaria’s Summer Scriptwriting Base, where he first encountered experience design. He is a certified experiential‑learning instructor through the Slovak organisation Plusko.
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A creative workshop for children inspired by the film The Secret World of Arrietty, focused on the Japanese art of paper folding – origami. Children create their own paper characters, animals, and everyday objects that reflect the miniature world of the film. Suitable for children aged 6 and up. All materials are provided.
Five short films — six reasons for joy. A program of charming fiction and documentary student films from the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava (VŠMU), created over the past decade, bringing playfulness, surprising twists, and unexpected endings woven with subversive humor. From comedy to mockumentary, from the troubles of an online romance to a quest for the essential quality of the tastiest open-faced sandwiches in the country. These and more serious topics are approached with perspective, using seemingly banal plots to reveal the depths of human character. To the joy of creation, another joy is added — that someone is willing to observe the world around us uncompromisingly, yet kindly.
List of films:
E (d.Lukáš Hamara, 2022), 19:33 min.
Looking for an Elephant’s Trail (d.Katarína Jonisová, 2019) 12:36 min.
Greetings from Nigeria (d.Peter Hoferica, 2020), 17:01 min.
A Glow of Gentle Irony (d. Kristián Grupač, 2019) 7:46 min.
Open-faced Sandwiches: A Czech Specialty (d.Mária Pinčíková, 2017), 21:28 min.
An early film by acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Márta Mészáros follows a group of young people as their shift at the factory ends and they head out into the streets, bars, and concerts. We witness their joy of life, their attempts to briefly forget the drudgery of work — and, in the case of the main heroine, perhaps also the dull married life awaiting her. A free‑flowing, dreamlike film, imbued with the atmosphere of late‑1960s/early‑1970s Hungarian beat music.
A discussion with members of the LGBTI community about the internal and external challenges one faces — and how coming out and openly embracing one’s identity can impact the quality of life. People who choose to live in truth — to speak openly about who they are and where they belong — may find joy in life despite the obstacles they encounter. Join us for a conversation about whether it's possible to live a joyful queer life.
Speakers:
- Milan Zvada – Director of the independent cultural centre Záhrada in Banská Bystrica and member of the Inakosť platform
- Miroslav Maťavka – Chair of SIGNUM – Rainbow Christians
Moderator: Ivana Klimentová
The discussion is organized by the Živena association as part of the Four Elements festival.
free entry / only in Slovak