The Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia (CaSFFA) has announced its 10th annual festival which kicks off on October 6.

This year’s theme is “Movement” Pohyb – Posun – Action – Motion – Progress – Change – Expansion.

The organisers are inviting filmgoers to celebrate the films with them, happily back in cinemas, after a two year COVID-induced hiatus.

The opening film is Zatopek, showing at the Classic Cinema in Elsternwick, which depicts the tremendous and turbulent journey of one of the 20th century’s finest athletes, Czechoslovak long-distance runner Emil Zátopek.

Actor Václav Neužil immerses himself as the Olympic champion who made history at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games.

‘Zatopek’ captures the runner’s never-again-achieved record three gold medals with electric energy and fervour.

But director David Ondříček also finds the person behind the icon, turning his attention also to Zatopek’s wife, champion javelin thrower Dana Zátopková, and friend, Australian long-distance runner, Ron Clarke – charmingly played by Aussie James Frecheville.

Festival Artistic Director Ali back said the festival had something for everyone.

“For Closing Night, we transport to the coastline with ‘Happy New Year II’, a rom-com that’s having just as much success as the 2019 original,” Ali said.

“Over that time in-between Opening and Closing, we’re screening films that offer all sorts of promises.

“‘Saving One Who Was Dead’ promises a passage into the spiritual, gliding between the realms of the living and the dead.

“With ‘Kapr Code’, we’re offered a mixture of the abstract, the home-video, and the musical – a trip most definitely worth exploring. At the other end, there is ‘The Enchanted Cave’, strong in fantasy and magic, it offers a fairy-tale story with a mixture of heart, good old-fashioned sword fighting, and folklore.

“And don’t forget, ‘Adam Ondra: Pushing the Limits’, a rock climbing biopic that proves just as luminous as it is beautiful,” Ali said. 

For more information got to: Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia – (casffa.com.au)