Description
The Festival Ostrava Kamera Oko is, since its beginnings a platform for presentation of the importance of the work of cinematographers. The festival promotes contemporary film art and support creative young people in Ostrava. The project is about to present, for the first time on such scale in Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian region of the Czech Republic, Norwegian cinematographers and their work. Particularly, the goal of the project is to present contemporary Norwegian cinema and the most important Norwegian cinematographers in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, the aim is to support the cooperation between the Czech and the Norwegian film professionals, to increase the interest and consciousness of Norwegian cinema and culture among the festival public and Czech film professionals. The outcome is a “Nordic Lights“ sub-section of the film festival. Specifically, three Norwegian cinematographers will come to Ostrava to participate in the main Competition jury, Short films competition jury and a one day workshop with Czech cinematography students. All of the invited cinematographers will show their films at the festival and will have moderated debates with the audience about their work. For the Czech film students, as well as for the other festival visitors, the project is an unique opportunity to get the knowledge of the work of Norwegian cinematographers. The Donor partner is Foreningen Norske Filmfotografer (the Norwegian Society of Cinematographers). Its responsibility is to appoint an expert to recommend the Norwegian cinematographers. With the help of the Norwegian partner, it is aimed to spread the awareness of the Czech cinema and culture among the film professionals and film students in Norway.
Summary of project results
The project "Northern Lights at Ostrava Kamera Oko 2015" was aimed at promotion of Norwegian cinematography in the Czech Republic and artistic collaboration between Norwegian and Czech cinematographers and students. The subprogram Northern Lights was held under the heading of the International Film Festival Ostrava Kamera OKO that took place in Ostrava from 25th September till 1st October 2015. The Echoes of the festival followed on in Prague from 8th to 11th October 2015. Featuring of films in a separate section of Northern Lights in Ostrava and in Prague, a competition for young Norwegian cameramen from which four winning short films came from (three participants also visited the festival in Ostrava), a lecture by cameraman K. Vassdal and Masterclass by cameraman J. Andreas Andersen (from which a video recording was made) were organised in cooperation between Kamera Oko s.r.o. and a Norwegian partner - Foreningen Norske Filmfotografer (FNF). The prominent Norwegian cinematographer P. Ogaard became president of the jury at the Ostrava Kamera Oko 2015 IFF. Thanks to the project, contemporary Norwegian cinematography and representatives of the Norwegian Cameraman School were presented in the Czech Republic. New contacts with the Norwegian partners were established for future projects.
Summary of bilateral results
The partnership was newly established within the framework of this project with the Foreningen Norske Filmfotografer (FNF) - Norwegian Society of Cinematographers. The main contact person Rolv Haan was acquired through the European Federation of Cameraman Associations IMAGO. The partner helped with selection of the guests and provided the contacts of the prominent Norwegian cameramen. In addition FNF representatives consulted the selection of films, which were also consulted with individual cameramen afterwards. The selection of the films included the communication with rights and print owners, the acquisition of materials for the catalogue, the coordination of shipping and payments for rights and prints. Future cooperation with the partner is planned, especially with inviting guests to IFF Ostrava Kamera Oko and Cinematographers Days Prague.