The 11th edition of the Marienbad Film Festival will take place June 11–15 in Mariánské Lázně, returning to the Municipal Theatre and Chopin House with a program centered on the question “Is film for everyone?” The annual fest, which focuses on experimental and nontraditional cinema, will examine the relationship between experimental filmmaking and amateur film culture while revisiting the spa town’s own history with noncommercial cinema.
This year’s edition also reflects on the filmmaking in the digital era, when accessible technology has made film production available to wider audiences than ever before. Festival organizers say the program aims to bridge the perceived gap between experimental cinema and general audiences by emphasizing discussion, interpretation, and the motivations behind personal filmmaking.
Alongside film screenings, the festival will host debates, live audiovisual performances, concerts, and archival initiatives tied to amateur film preservation. Competitive sections devoted to experimental works and audiovisual essays will again form the backbone of the program.
Amateur film traditions shape this year’s theme
According to program director Tomáš Vobořil, the festival’s focus on amateur filmmaking stems from an interest in how creative enthusiasm and personal expression intersect with experimental film practices. This year’s lineup draws direct connections between contemporary avant-garde cinema and local amateur film history in Mariánské Lázně.
The festival will revisit the legacy of the UNICA amateur film congresses held in the town in 1948 and 1966, highlighting a period when amateur filmmaking played a visible cultural role in the region. The program includes screenings of amateur short films shot in Mariánské Lázně, selections from the Czech experimental showcase Mikrofest, and analog works by students from FAMU’s Center for Audiovisual Studies.
Among the featured presentations is Submemorias de un rollo, a 16 mm film performance by the artistic duo labodoble, made up of Moralesová and Bagdasarov. Organizers say the event reflects the festival’s effort to present experimental works in a more approachable context through accompanying discussions with filmmakers and curators.
The festival’s Forum Marienbad section will once again host two competitions: the main competition for experimental films and a competition devoted to audiovisual essays. This year’s jury includes the German artistic duo cinéma copains and Swiss filmmaker and critic Kevin B. Lee.
For audiences less familiar with experimental cinema, the festival will also screen a selection of classic international and Czech films. Scheduled screenings include Alain Resnais’ Stavisky, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo (pictured at top), the Polish science-fiction film Golem, and Jaroslav Papoušek’s classic comedy Ecce Homo Homolka.
Festival director Anna Kopecká said the noncompetitive program will continue to examine filmmakers who began in experimental cinema before moving toward more mainstream filmmaking. This year’s retrospective pairing will compare Jim Jarmusch’s recent Father Mother Sister Brother with his early work Down by Law.
Home Movie Day and concerts
One of the festival’s recurring public initiatives, Home Movie Day, will return on June 12 at Chopin House. Residents of Mariánské Lázně and surrounding areas will be invited to bring family films shot on 8 mm, 9.5 mm, or 16 mm formats for assessment and preservation.
The materials will be collected in cooperation with the Czech National Film Archive, whose curators will arrange free digitization of the submitted footage. The initiative is intended both as a preservation effort and as a way to connect local audiences with the broader history of amateur filmmaking.
Additional screenings connected to the festival will begin several days before the official opening through a collaboration with the local film club. Starting June 8, audiences will be able to see recent Czech films that may have received limited theatrical exposure.
Music and live audiovisual performances will also remain an important part of the festival’s identity. Prague-based band Kill the Dandies! will return to Mariánské Lázně for the first time in nine years with a performance blending music, stylized visuals, and cinematic aesthetics. They will be joined by the Cheb-based band INTRO.
Founded as a platform for experimental and independent cinema, the Marienbad Film Festival has established itself as one of the Czech Republic’s key showcases for alternative audiovisual work. This year’s edition will continue that mission while raising broader questions about who experimental cinema is for, and how audiences engage with it in an era when filmmaking tools are increasingly accessible to everyone.
More information about this year’s Marienbad Film Festival can be found at the official festival website.
