Mezipatra is now over a quarter of a century old. In 25 years, it has become the largest queer film festival in Central and Eastern Europe, holding an unwavering place on the Czech cultural scene and beyond. I am honored to now stand at its helm and to continue contributing to its growth.
Yet the coming years will bring many challenges. Not only do queer people still face violations of their rights in countries across our region and around the world, but there is also still much work to be done here at home before achieving true equality. We remain mindful of the festival’s role in society, and we believe that during those 16 days in Prague and Brno, we’ll offer a safe space where everyone can feel welcome, meet other open-minded people, and spread the notion of understanding and community.
A few new additions to this year’s program include a fresh visual identity created by a new graphic designer and, for the very first time, a printed MEZI ZINE. The festival’s traditional annual motto has been replaced by two thematic lines weaving through the film program, the accompanying discussions, and industry panels. This year, we reflect upon the V4 countries and take a closer look at the restrictions on trans rights (not only) in the USA, as well as examples of good practice in Europe. In addition to the traditional Q&As with filmmakers, the program now includes discussions with local experts. We are also happy to present the long-awaited “midnight movie” and a retrospective focusing on landmark films by iconic women directors.
Of course, Mezipatra continues to preserve its high-quality and diverse programming – both the feature and short film competitions will showcase works from all over the world, by up-and-coming as well as established directors. And we haven’t forgotten what we are first and foremost: a festival for a wonderfully diverse audience – for you – who help us create and celebrate the queer world every single day. So let’s enjoy it together!
Kristýna Genttnerová has been part of Mezipatra since 2018 and led the festival’s programming team for the past two years. She has gained programming and production experience at the One World Festival and Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival. Within the Institute of Documentary Film, she coordinated the KineDok project and contributed to the East Doc Platform. She is also the organizer of One World Echoes in Oslo and the head of programming at the Ekofilm festival.
