FRED Film Radio - English Channel

Director, scriptwriter, and producer Laurent Slama is at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for the European premiere of "A Second Life" amongst the Special Screenings. This deeply human and uplifting story, his third feature after "Paris Is Us" (2019) and "Roaring 20s" (2021) – filmed in one single shot in the busy streets and parks of the French capital –, which he both directed under the pseudonym of Elisabeth Vogler, takes place and was shot during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, outdoors amongst the events unfolding during this special moment in time.

Laurent Slama tells us more about the shooting conditions, in 14 days on foot with limited crew equipped with backpacks, and about how he approaches production in general to make his extremely organic, seemingly free-flowing films. We discuss his characters, stressed out and depressed Elisabeth (Vogler, played by Agathe Rousselle, the star of "Titane") and the irresistible, pinked-haired, carefree Elijah (Alex Lawther) as well as the new perspective the latter brings, with contagious good spirits, to not only Elisabeth but also the viewer, as we are drawn into perceiving the agression of the world surrounding her, and then the relief which comes with letting go, taking things as they come, and having friends to help you when you fall.

We also ask Laurent Slama about the idea of making Elisabeth hearing-impaired and creating sound design to capture how she hears the world with and without her hearing aids, in this film which indeed revolves a lot around the notion of perception, also expressed by recurring scenes shot amongst Claude Monet's Waterlilies (famously painted when cataract was already affecting his perception of colours) and mirroring shots of actual waterlilies in magnificent saturated colours.

Greek director and musician Alexandros Voulgaris, a.k.a. The Boy, who has just world-premiered his latest work, “They Come Out of Margo“, in the Proxima Competition of the 59th Karlovy Vary Film Festival, tells us more about this undescribable, extremely rich work centered around a fictional, once prolific female composer adored by the people of Athens – born by accident after the mysterious disappearance of a sister she never met whose name she bears in shortened form – who celebrates her 40th birthday with her dearest friends in the rich universe of the flat she hasn’t left in many years.

Voulgaris describes his writing process and elaborates on the seemingly dissociative, fragmented structure of the film, teeming with existential and philosophical suggestions, and how it embraces more truthfully the all-at-once complexity of daily life. We also discuss death and generativity, the elevated cinematic references present in the film, its horror-like elements as well as its uncanny lightness, and the situation of female artists in the 70s and 80s, amongst other things.

Czech director and scriptwriter Ondřej Provazník is competing for the Crystal Globe of the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival with his fourth feature, "Broken Voices", inspired by the scandal of the Bambini di Praga choir, a sexual abuse case with which the director had an eery, haunting brush after the trial, reflecting the ambiguity of the reactions of the people involved towards the choirmaster even though he was indeed found guilty, almost is if he was the guru of a cult.

We discuss the hints that surface and the silence that nevertheless dominates, the way Ondřej Provazník wanted to reflect the ambivalence and the toxicity of the system through his stylistic choices, the fact that beauty and cruelty often live together under the same roof, the protagonist's initial candour, her growing awareness and the importance of not making her a victim, and the attitude of Karolina's sister Lucie.

At the heart of “Son of Happiness“, a tender and moving short film by Dominik Mirecki, lies a universal story: the push and pull between protection and freedom, love and fear, and the powerful bond between a father and his son. Selected for the Future Frames – Generation NEXT of European Cinema program at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, “Son of Happiness” is more than a debut—it’s a quiet revelation.

A Story Close to the Heart

“It’s a story close to the heart. I think very emotional, real, and touching in my opinion,” says Mirecki as he introduces the film. In “Son of Happiness” the central character Beniamin, a young man with Down syndrome, dreams of becoming an actor. But that dream comes with a cost. His father, a constant and loving presence in his life, faces a dilemma: protect his son from the harshness of public judgment or let him pursue his passion, knowing the risks.

This moral conflict is the emotional axis of the film. “If he agrees and the son tries to be an actor, he knows that in 99% he will lose. But if he says no, the boy will live all the time with the feeling that he never tried.”

The Real Janek Behind the Character

The inspiration for “Son of Happiness” came from a powerful encounter. Mirecki recalls watching a Polish television program called Down the Road, which followed a group of young adults with Down syndrome traveling independently. That’s where he saw Janek Skiba, the boy who would eventually star in his film. “I remember when I saw Janek, I thought, oh my God, he’s amazing. And I must make something with him.”

Mirecki’s admiration is palpable. “He played in this film all emotions, in my opinion. Jokes, sarcasm—it’s very difficult even for a professional actor. And he cries. He fights with his father. I think he’s my hero.”

Building Trust on Set

Creating a film with both professional and non-professional actors was a challenge that Mirecki embraced fully. Working with Marek Kalita, a renowned Polish actor, and Janek Skiba required a delicate balance of structure and spontaneity. “If you work with an amateur actor, you must give him space and freedom. If he trusts you, you can do everything. Janek just plays from the heart.”

Before production began, Mirecki organized rehearsals in Janek’s hometown of Gdańsk to build trust and chemistry. “We had a lot of practice—Janek, Marek, and together. Now they are friends.”

That mutual respect extended to directing as well. Mirecki, who has a background in acting, brings an intuitive approach to working with performers. “Sometimes it’s better to give a simple suggestion than a 30-minute monologue about families. The most important thing is that the actors feel free. When they are open, they can also make great suggestions.”

A Message Rooted in Love

If there’s a central message to “Son of Happiness” Mirecki says, it’s about unconditional support. “If you have people around you who love you, you can do everything.” He shares a touching story about Janek’s father, who learned to play guitar just to teach his son—an act Mirecki calls the “definition of love.”

He also draws from his own memories: “When I was 16, I acted in amateur theater. We rehearsed until 2 or 3 AM, and my mother always waited for me. She never said a word. That, for me, is love.”

A Debut with Impact

Being selected for Future Frames is a moment of validation for Mirecki. “It’s the biggest festival in the world. I felt that we did something amazing. This film is very important for us.” Representing Poland at Karlovy Vary is just the beginning. “It’s my first film, and I hope in the future we will meet again in the main competition.”

“Son of Happiness” is more than a story about disability or dreams—it’s about recognizing the quiet power of love and the courage it takes to let someone grow. Through Janek’s deeply human performance and Mirecki’s intimate direction, the film becomes a gentle but forceful statement: freedom is an act of love

After premiering in Tribeca, where the film owed its main actresses, Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn, the Best Performance Award of the International Narrative Competition, Paul Andrew Williams' "Dragonfly" is gracing the screens of the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, amongst the Special Screenings.

We met the director and scriptwriter revealed by "London to Brighton" (2006), joined by seasoned stage and screen thespian Jason Watkins (recently seen in the gripping TV series "Coma"), who plays a crucial role in this unconventional 'love story'/tragedy, for an in-depth conversation unpacking some of the many subtleties and possible readings of the film.

Williams, who has since his debut authored some of the grittiest and yet most compassionate examples of British social realist cinema (also including "Cherry Tree Lane" or, more recently, "Bull"), tells us more about the setting of "Dragonfly", two cottages located next to each other, the modus operandi adopted during the shoot to observe the relationship between Elsie and her much younger neighbour Colleen, whose pitbull is the only companion she needs, the situation of the elderly and their carers, the choice of having DoP Vanessa Whyte shoot on 16 mm. Watkins and him also discuss the tremendous work done by both Blethyn and Riseborough and the many dimensions of the film.

The pivotal role of Watkins' character John, Elsie's son, described by both he and Williams as 'materialistic, cynical, childish and very selfish in a very childish, unhappy way,' and the ensuing shattering of the love that had been slowly building leads to reflections on the various layers of meaning of the film and the many genres "Dragonfly" embraces.

On the beautiful reciprocity of Elsie and Colleen's relationship

P.A.W: 'For me, they both provide something for each other: it’s something really important to be wanted and to be needed, and to have a value. What Colleen gets through her relationship with Elsie is a value, because what she is doing is valued by Elsie, very much so, and that’s a really beautiful thing, to feel like you’re necessary for somebody. And Elsie, she’s getting [...] companionship. [...] So I love watching them. They really value each other'.

On accessing intimacy without being intrusive

P.A.W: 'The idea was always to try and just observe these characters. We didn’t do loads and loads of cuts and loads and loads of coverage. The idea was to just see them interact, see what their day is like, just to build up a view of their relationship. It was important to observe these two characters just at ease in their life, and to not be trying too hard as a director, and as actors and as the writer… not over-egging it for the audience and let them discover them, take their time to see what they do. And then you get to know them.'

Jason Watkins on the incredible writing of the characters

'You can see the film on lots of different levels. It’s an incredible character study, in what people called a thriller! If this is a thriller, how many thrillers can you see with characters that are so detailed?!'

German director Simon Schneckenburger is taking part to the 8th edition of the Future Frames Program at the 59th Karlovy Vary Film Festival with his short film "Skin on Skin".

With the Future Frames Program for talented young directors, the European Film Promotion EFP takes ten outstanding film school graduates from throughout Europe to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic). The directors get the chance to present their short films to the international industry and the public at the prestigious A-list film festival.

"Skin on Skin" has been screened at top short film festivals such as Vienna Shorts FF, where it won the audience award, Brussels Short Film Festival and  Busan International Short FF and now it is landing an A-list Festival as KVIFF.

The film is about a love story set in the most unexpected and inhospitable environment ever, a slaughterhouse and it explores the possibility that love, tenderness and passion can still come out in the worst situations.

Starring Jonas Smulders as Jakob and Jurij Drevensek as Boris, the film relies on their chemistry and evokes different films with its delicate but passionate approach, such as "Pride and Prejudice" by Joe Wright or "Call me by your name" by Luca Guadagnino.

Catalan director Nausica Serra is taking part to the 8th edition of the Future Frames Program at the 59th Karlovy Vary Film Festival with her short film "Dissection of an incoherence in Crisis". 

With the Future frames program for talented young directors, the European Film Promotion EFP takes ten outstanding film school graduates from throughout Europe to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic). The directors get the chance to present their short films to the international industry and the public at the prestigious A-list film festival.

"Dissection of an incoherence in Crisis" delves into the human inability to accept the superiority of others by showing the interactions between three girls playing together and their parents arguing/ discussing the route for a road trip.

Nausica Serra shows us a world in which behaviors are inherited faster than genes, especially the inability to manage envy and ego, as seen in the two central characters, Aran, the youngest daughter, and Artur, her father.

In her dazzling and original short film “Karaokiss“, Belgian director Mila Ryngaert brings to life a vibrant, surreal world where emotions are expressed not only through words but through music, fantasy, and the glow of a disco ball. Selected for the Future Frames – Generation NEXT of European Cinema at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the film tells the story of Lucette, a quiet 20-year-old working in a karaoke bar, where her only constant companion is a fairy determined to help her navigate life, love, and self-expression.

A Love Story Told Through Music and Metaphor

“It’s a love story in a karaoke with a fairy,” says Ryngaert when asked to introduce her film. “Karaokiss” is a musical short, filmed in French, where the return of a long-lost lover turns Lucette’s world upside down. The karaoke setting is not just a backdrop; it becomes a central metaphor for self-expression and vulnerability. “That’s one of the only places where you can just go on stage and sing your own life… without anyone judging you,” Ryngaert reflects.

The karaoke bar serves as both a physical and emotional stage where Lucette confronts her fears and desires. Initially quiet and reserved, Lucette finds her voice through the music, sometimes quite literally voiced by her ever-present fairy companion. For Ryngaert, this contrast between internal inhibition and external performance is at the core of the story: “In real life, it’s much more like your own inhibitions and fears that can make a relationship not work.”

The Fairy: A Voice, A Conscience, A Character

A standout feature of the film is its magical realist tone, embodied by the presence of the fairy. Far from being just a fantastical flourish, the fairy is deeply symbolic. “I think we all have a fairy in our heads,” Ryngaert explains. Originally imagined as an inner voice, the fairy was transformed into a physical character to visually capture the psychological forces that shape Lucette’s choices.

Creating that contrast on screen required delicate and layered direction. “It was really complicated to direct, like do nothing,” she says of working with Agathe, who plays Lucette. “She had to be really quiet, really calm.” Meanwhile, the actress playing the fairy had to learn to be expressive without taking emotional center stage: “I don’t have any proper emotions—I’m just there to talk for someone,” she recalled the actress saying.

A Musical from the Ground Up

Karaokiss is more than a story—it’s a fully realized musical universe, built from the ground up with original songs created before the film even secured funding. Ryngaert’s passion for the musical genre is palpable, and she cites influences such as Jacques Demy (The Young Girls of Rochefort, Donkey Skin) and Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, whose experimental approach to musicals inspired her.

“The songs were actually on the script,” she reveals. “And like you can have like the script and then you can just like click on the link and have the songs already made.”

Each moment in the film is built around a unique musical tone, echoing her desire to give every scene a distinct emotional rhythm and style. “Every song is in a different musical style,” she explains, ensuring that each scene feels emotionally specific and sonically unique.

Creating a Dreamlike but Tactile World

Building the dreamy, saturated, yet intimate feel of the film took close collaboration with a tight-knit creative team. Ryngaert worked with two cinematographers, Manuel Canfran and Ilona Marbot, both longtime friends. “They have this ability that when I say something crazy, they make it happen,” she says with gratitude.

The editing process was equally collaborative and instinctual. Her editor, Morgan Crenn, quickly understood the vision: “When I said something kind of crazy, she was like, ‘Yeah, okay, let’s do it,’” Mila remembers. This trust allowed for a seamless blend of magic, emotion, and visual cohesion.

Future Frames: A Platform for Growth

For Mila Ryngaert, being selected for Future Frames is a significant milestone both personally and professionally. As a young filmmaker, she’s especially eager to connect with the other nine directors in the program. “It can be quite a solitary experience to be a young director,” she admits. “I’m happy to have the chance to talk with others who are living the same fears, the same questions.”

When asked what she wants viewers to take from the film, Ryngaert says simply: “Maybe to be less hard on themselves.” “Karaokiss” may sparkle with disco lights and musical flair, but at its heart lies a profound message about fear, vulnerability, and the courage to reconnect with others and with ourselves.

January, the deeply moving short by Jetske Lieber, premieres in the Future Frames section of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, a program spotlighting the next generation of European filmmakers. A raw and tender portrait of post-breakup identity and quiet emotional repair, "January" follows Willem, a young man navigating heartbreak, friendship, and selfhood in the coldest month of the year. Lieber’s film is a celebration of subtlety, queerness, and the small relationships that carry us when romantic love fails.

January: More Than Just a Month

“January is the worst month to break up,” Lieber admits, reflecting on the inspiration behind the film. Originally intended to be a summer story, Januarywas forced to embrace the cold, both literally and metaphorically, after production requirements led to a winter shoot. “It’s also a feeling — cold, blue, still.”

The film follows Willem, freshly out of a relationship, trying to make sense of his life by reconnecting with friends, housemates, and his parents. “We really see him being like an extra in his own life, trying to get the main character role back,” says Lieber.

A Study in Quiet Heartbreak

Willem is portrayed with aching vulnerability by Bram Flick, an actor Lieber directed with incredible sensitivity. “He doesn't say a lot in the film. All the people around him talk, so he had to express everything physically — with his body and face,” she explains.

Connection Beyond Romance

At its core, "January" is about more than heartbreak. It’s about how we rebuild ourselves through non-romantic relationships. “When I broke up, I realized I’d been focusing on just one relationship. And then I saw how many different kinds of love can save you,” Lieber says. Whether it’s friendship, family, or simply sharing space with others, the film shows how healing is communal.

“Romantic love can be intense and overanalyzed, but friendships can be light and humbling,” she adds. This quiet embrace of platonic intimacy is what gives January its emotional gravity.

An Actor’s Director

Lieber’s past experience as an actor shaped the approach on set. “It’s very vulnerable to act, especially with a crew watching. I never forget that,” she says. “I give my actors long takes. I want them to own the scene.” Her direction is deeply actor-centered, prioritizing authenticity over technical perfection.

What Jetske Lieber Hopes Audiences Take Away

“Even the smallest steps can keep you walking,” Lieber says. January doesn't offer a neatly tied resolution, but something better: hope. “It’s okay not to know who you are in a couple of weeks or months or even years.”

She hopes viewers will recognise something of themselves in Willem — and feel understood.

Future Frames: A Platform for Emerging Voices

Being selected for Future Frames is a dream come true for "Lieber". “It can be quite intense to be a young director, but this platform lets us be real directors for the first time,” she says. Meeting peers from across Europe and sharing her work with new audiences marks an exciting chapter in her filmmaking journey.

With "January", Jetske Lieber delivers a deeply personal and understated story of heartbreak, identity, and quiet connection. It's a film that lingers — not because it shouts, but because it listens. As she puts it, “If Willem can handle January, maybe we all can.”

At the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Finnish filmmaker Veera Lamminpää presents her poetic stop-motion short "Fish River Anthology" as part of the Future Frames: Generation NEXT of European Cinema program. This lyrical and surreal animated musical follows a group of dead fish in a supermarket as they reflect on life, death, and their own value.

A Musical Lament in the Supermarket Aisle

In "Fish River Anthology"  Veera Lamminpää turns a mundane grocery store into a stage for existential musings and absurd elegance. Set in the cold, fluorescent-lit fish counter of a supermarket, her characters are fish — freshly caught, already dead, yet bursting with thoughts and songs.

“It’s a stop-motion animation musical that’s set in a supermarket,” Lamminpää says. “People are lining up to get their fish, and the fish are waiting to get picked up.”

The idea, she explains, came from a surreal moment of reflection in the grocery store. “They are clearly dead, but they’re very fresh. So they must have been swimming just a few moments ago… Then you go down the rabbit hole of existential thinking — or at least I do.”

Humor Meets Melancholy in the Cold Counter

Balancing the absurd and the profound, "Fish River Anthology" invites audiences to laugh, wonder, and reflect. Lamminpää believes humor is essential to navigating even the darkest thoughts.

“I think there is no situation in life where there is no humor, no matter how sad or profound it is,” she says. “You can find beauty in negative emotions, even if they’re not something you wish to feel.”

Through song and stylized movement, her film becomes a melancholic elegy and a comedy of the absurd — a reminder that even the forgotten have something to say.

Why Stop Motion? A Medium of Freedom

Lamminpää embraced stop motion for this project, both for its expressive potential and its practicality.

“I thought it would be very different from live action, but it wasn’t. It was the same, just frame by frame,” she notes. “You’re not limited by reality — you can do whatever you want.”

Working with recycled materials and a small team of student collaborators, she created a richly textured world on a minimal budget: “It was a very budget-friendly option. We could do more with less.”

Songs of the Sea: Music as Emotional Core

The musical dimension of"Fish River Anthology" came to life through a close collaboration with Finnish composer  Iiti Yli-Harja, known for her love of the ocean and its creatures.

“I wrote the lyrics, and we talked about references,” Lamminpää recalls. “Then I got this beautiful demo in my email… I just started crying because I thought it was perfect.”

The film’s soundtrack serves not only as narrative but as emotional anchor, turning the inner lives of fish into hauntingly beautiful songs.

More Than Just Fish

Lamminpää hopes that audiences walk away with a deeper sense of connection, not only to the food we eat, but also to one another.

“Everyone and everything that has been alive at some point has a story, memories, and a purpose in life,” she says. “That relates to the strangers we meet, but also the food we consume — not just animals, but also plants and everything.”

This awareness permeates the film, giving voice to the voiceless and prompting viewers to reflect on the value we assign to life.

Future Frames: A Platform for New Voices

Being selected for Future Frames is a meaningful milestone for Lamminpää, as she transitions from student to professional filmmaker.

“It means a lot. The film industry needs new voices. But it’s not easy for young filmmakers to make themselves known,” she says. “Future Frames and Karlovy Vary are doing a great job of keeping the industry alive and refreshing it with new talent.”

What’s Next for Veera Lamminpää?

Lamminpää is currently working on multiple new projects, including a sci-fi satire and a hybrid stop-motion/live-action film. “I wanted to combine puppetry and stop motion with live action. I think it’s going to be something very interesting.”

She’s also developing a new short film, supported by a screenwriting grant from the Finnish Film Foundation, which is expected to enter production by the end of the year.