Press release (Bratislava, December 9, 2024)

Eighty-four films from Slovakia and prestigious international festivals attracted more than 4,000 visitors to Kino Lumière and Kino Film Europe over the past days. Compared to last year, attendance at the 18th Slovak Queer Film Festival (FFi) increased by more than one third.
“The festival has confirmed its position as one of the key cultural events of Bratislava’s autumn and shows clear potential for further growth,” said FFi Director Zita Hosszúová.

The theme “Courage” resonated in 39 feature films, 45 short films, and 14 accompanying events. “We were thrilled that Emilia Pérez by director Jacques Audiard, which had its Slovak pre-premiere at FFi, became the undisputed winner of this weekend’s European Film Awards. The formally and thematically bold musical dominated the categories of Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Actress.
The good news is that not only Emilia Pérez, but also Young Hearts, Bridges, and the Slovak co-production Nobody Loves Me, which FFi screened in an exclusive pre-premiere, will all be released in Slovak cinemas next year,” explained the festival’s programmer David Benedek. Films such as Next to You, Blood on the Lips, Runaway Girls, and I’m Not Who I Want to Be Yet are already playing in local cinemas.

The International Short Film Jury – consisting of Mária Ferenčuhová Ridzoňová, Barbora Sliepková, and Ricky Mastro – awarded the Main Prize to the French film Boys in the Water. Director Pawel Thomas Larue tells the story of Oscar, who invites a group of friends to his grandparents’ house at the end of summer – the childhood home he hasn’t visited since coming out as trans. On the beach, he meets Malo, and everything changes.

A Special Mention went to the Slovak short documentary Queen from the Village by Emik Hirschner, about an ambitious performer named Dávid preparing for an important concert in the small village of Křtetice. The film focuses on his relationship with his parents, whose attitudes toward his identity remain ambiguous.

The Audience Award – Pink Balloon went to the Dutch-Belgian film Young Hearts by Anthony Schatteman. Fourteen-year-old Elias knows love only from his grandfather’s stories and isn’t sure he can feel it himself—especially since he’s never liked any of the girls. One day, a boy named Alexander moves into the neighboring house, and Elias’s world turns upside down.
The coming-of-age story about first loves and the courage to embrace one’s feelings premiered at Berlinale 2024, where it was nominated for the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film and received a Special Jury Mention in the Generation KPLUS section. Close behind in the audience voting were Emilia Pérez and the Canadian film Solo, followed by the documentary Madame President in fourth place.

The Audience Award – Pink Balloon for Short Film went to the Slovak student film In Case of Survival (Pre prípad dožitia) by Juraj Krén, about a retired man who, under pressure from a financial advisor, confesses that he is gay. The film stars Zuzana Kronerová, Martin Huba, and Branislav Deák.

“We would like to thank everyone who once again helped create an atmosphere of diversity, freedom, and kindness at the festival – and to all our partners who supported the event financially, in kind, through their work, or with personal dedication,” concluded Zita Hosszúová.

The 19th Slovak Queer Film Festival will take place in Bratislava from November 19 to 25, 2025.

This year’s festival was held under the auspices of Juraj Droba, Governor of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, and Matúš Vallo, Mayor of Bratislava.

The official visual features a painting by Andrej Dúbravský, graphic design by Eva Šimovičová, and a photograph by Viki Kollerová.

Organizers: Iniciatíva Inakosť, Kvír Film
Financially supported by: Audiovisual Fund
Main partners: Férová nadácia, NN Insurance, Corwin, DHL, Nadácia SPP, Ruido, Zürich Insurance Company, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bratislava, British Council, Embassy of Canada to Slovakia, Goethe-Institut Bratislava, Institut Français Bratislava, Embassy of Switzerland in Slovakia, Embassy of Spain in Slovakia, Instituto Cervantes Bratislava, MyCinepass, Kino Lumière – Slovak Film Institute cinema, Kino Film Europe.
Media partners: Webmagazín, TV JOJ, Denník N, Pravda, Startitup, Odzadu, Rádio FM, DIVA, Aktuality, Film.sk, Queer Slovakia, Citylife

photo: Young Hearts (courtesy of ASFK)