Press Release Prague, September 24, 2015 Participants of this year s 19 th Jihlava IDFF will have a unique chance to speak with Julian Assange and Masha of Pussy Riot! For a fifth year in a row, Jihlava IDFF s Inspiration Forum will be hosting outstanding, distinctive and at the same time controversial figures, thus enabling both the general public and Czech and foreign documentary filmmakers to talk to them in person. On the backdrop of notable documentary films from the whole world, we want to initiate a discussion and reflection on the topical issues, revealing unexpected and highly personal perspectives of events that attract media attention all over the world. The curator of the Inspiration Forum is Filip Remunda. After three years, we have finally managed to confirm the participation of the former member of Pussy Riot, Masha (Maria Alyokhina), who has a first-hand experience from Russian prison where she was incarcerated after her performance in Moscow s most prominent orthodox cathedral. This experience further encouraged her to fight for human rights. The second figure who has stirred contradictory reactions, and who will join the Inspiration Forum s discussions with the visitors and documentarians, is the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, who has been hiding for over three years at the Ecuadorean embassy in London. In the context of the current social debate, both our guests are regarded as controversial figures. While some see them as advocates of the freedom of speech, others believe they are mere puppets controlled by enemy powers. Julian Assange is allegedly siding with Russia and damaging the interests of the USA, and Pussy Riot are said be doing the same, only the other way round promoting the interests of America to the detriment of Russia. And yet, the two have already met and agreed that their own view of the situation is completely different. After her last year s meeting with Assange at the Ecuadorean embassy, Masha of Pussy Riot said that they actually had a lot in common. So where is the truth? Have they assumed the role of guardians of freedom now when media are owned by politicians and interest groups, or are they in fact dangerous individuals who would do anything to attract attention?
We are thrilled to be able to bring together Masha Alyokhina and Julian Assange. Each of them is a personality in their own right, making headlines all over the world, but this opportunity is entirely exceptional in that we can witness their meeting. The fifth edition of the Inspiration Forum will definitely be unique. And to be able to make it happen, we need your help. For this purpose, we have launched a crowdfunding campaign on the Hithit.cz portal. Help us open a space for a discussion addressing topics that make headlines all over the world. The Czechs are often accused of limiting their attention to the developments in their home country which of course does not apply to everyone and this year s edition of the Inspiration Forum is intended to bring the social discussion a bit further. Thank you for your support and participation! Make your own opinion! said Marek Hovorka, Director of Jihlava IDFF, voicing his public appeal. Jihlava IDFF has launched a crowdfunding project on Hithit.cz in support of the Inspiration Forum: help us make the discussion with our honourable guests Julian Assange and Masha Alyokhina happen! https://www.hithit.com/cs/project/1785/julian-assange-a-pussy-riot-v-cesku-diskusniudalost-roku How will the funds collected via Hithit be used? The entire project is rather time-consuming and challenging in terms of preparations and communication, generating extra costs associated with accommodation, interpretation equipment, and special arrangements related to the video call from the Ecuadorean embassy. The Inspiration Forum is prepared by a team of people who take care of the whole logistics process from the programme scheduling to technical arrangements. What is Inspiration Forum? The Inspiration Forum is a unique and unparalleled festival project. Jihlava IDFF presents outstanding personalities from outside the documentary world, who, however, appear in numerous documentary films as they themselves are actors on the world stage. Each edition hosts three international guests. Each of them engages in an open discussion with the visitors, subsequently also partaking in some of the festival s Industry events. The entire project was initiated five years ago to open up a debate on the topical events of today and to reach both festival visitors and filmmakers. Moreover, the Inspiration Forum also helps film professionals obtain information and feedback that would otherwise be extremely difficult to get. Inspiration Forum s previous notable guests The previous four editions of Jihlava IDFF hosted 12 speakers; with a special IF edition taking place in May 2014 in Prague. For the full list of participants, please go to inspiracniforum.cz, or inspirationforum.com. Among Inspiration Forum s speakers were:
Gao Xingjian / Chinese writer, playwright and a painter, holder of the Nobel Prize for literature, since 1987 living in exile in Paris Femen Inna Shevchenko, Oleksandra Shevchenko, Anna Hutsol / leading members of the Ukrainian feminist protest group founded in 2008 Kateřina Šedá / Czech artist focusing mostly on happenings and experiments, collaborating with museums and galleries worldwide, such as Tate Modern and San Francisco MOMA Joseph Yu-Shek Cheng / professor of political sciences at the City University of Hong Kong, one of the founders of the pro-democratic Occupy Central movement that has gained worldwide renown as the Umbrella Revolution
PARTNERS and SPONSORS Festival is supported by: Ministerstvo kultury ČR Státní fond kinematografie Statutární město Jihlava Creative Europe MEDIA Kraj Vysočina ROP Jihovýchod Zastoupení Evropské komise v České republice Velvyslanectví Nizozemského království Rakouské kulturní fórum v Praze Francouzský institut v Praze Polský institut v Praze Velvyslanectví Státu Izrael Maďarský kulturní institut v Praze Slovenský institut v Praze DOC.STREAM supported by: Fond EHP Fond Partnerství Programu švýcarsko-české spolupráce Partners of Industry section: Asociace producentů v audiovizi Central European Initiative Česká centra HBO Europe Kancelář Kreativní Evropa - MEDIA v České republice FAMU/MIDPOINT: Centrum středoevropské scenáristické tvorby Co-organisers of Emerging Producers: Kanceláře Kreativní Evropa MEDIA v České republice Danish Film Institute, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, The Romanian Cultural Institute Co-organiser of Industry section: Institut dokumentárního filmu Partner project: Doc Alliance Films General media partner: Česká televize Main media partners: Český rozhlas Lidové noviny Respekt Festival official car: Hyundai AC ROZKOŠ Festival official courrier: TNT Partner: Automotive Lighting Regional partners: Ammeraal Beltech Chesterton Dafe Plast Gold Crystal Javab Kronospan MG - REAL Mokov PSJ Sepos YASHICA Official suppliers: Ackee AZ Translations Base Gang Rodinný pivovar Bernard Dřevovýroba Podzimek elektro-bicykl.cz Eventival Exit112 Fine Coffee Gopas Chateau Herálec ICOM transport Jabba design Krahulík - Masozávod Krahulčí Mitech M-soft Tonera Xanadu Catering
Security services supplier: Top Security, sesterská společnost Nokika IT services supplier: Abuco ICT Media partners: A2 A2larm Art & Antique Cinema Cinepur Deník Referendum Film a doba His Voice Host Iluminace Literární noviny Nový Prostor Plakát s.r.o. Rádio 1 Revolver Revue Xantypa Regional media partners: Jihlavské listy Jihlavský deník Hitradio Vysočina SNIP & CO Foreign media partners: Cineuropa Film New Europe Kinečko kinema.sk Kino Ikon Media cooperation: 25 fps 7.G ArtMap.cz Dějiny a současnost festivalguide.cz H_aluze jihlava-city.cz kult. kulturissimo protisedi.cz Rozrazil tvar UNI Other collaborators: FAMU Město Třešť Nakladatelství AMU Národní filmový archiv Oblastní galerie Vysočiny v Jihlavě Vysoká škola polytechnická Jihlava