Short film by Jan Cvitkovič

24. August 2009
The new short film by the writer and director Jan Cvitkovič This is Earth, My Brother is to have its world premiere in the Corto Cortissimo competition section of the Venice festival at the 66th Mostra in Venice (2 - 12 September 2009). Eighteen films from sixteen countries will be shown in this programme. The screening of Cvitkovič's new film is to take place on 8 September 2009 at 5pm

The Venice Film Festival is among the three most important film festivals, and Jan Cvitkovič has been an almost regular guest here, since he is returning here for the third time in a row already: after his successful feature Bread And Milk (2001), which received the Lion of the Future Award, his short film Heart is a Piece of Meat was also presented in the same competition section in 2004. Once again his success proves that the production of our short films is of extraordinary quality, since this year we will be guests of this programme for the second year in a row: in 2008 the Slovenian colours were represented by Igor Šterk and his film Every Breath You Take.
The short film This is Earth, My Brother was shot last year at the locations near Doberdò del Lago, Italy. It was filmed to 16mm tape and then enlarged to 35mm.
This short film was made in the style of Cvitkovič's next feature Arheo, which will start shooting in the end of September in Slovenia and Italy.
In This is Earth, My Brother Jan Cvitkovič binds together the film cadres with his poetry, published last year in his Lačna žival / Hungry Animal collection (Myra Locatelli 2008).
The director characterised this film as a journey into the core of things.
He stated the following about it: "It is a quite radical film. Any narration has been abandoned, all that is left is a ten minute journey towards the essence. I see this film as my strongest and purest work to date."
The film was written and directed by Jan Cvitkovič and worked on by the director of photography Jure Černec, editor Miloš Kalusek, production designer Niko Novak, costumes designer Beti Njari, sound designer Boštjan Kačičnik and make up designer Alenka Nahtigal. It was produced by Jožko Rutar for the STARAGARA production house and Igor Prinčič for the TRANSMEDIA production house.
Starring Medea Novak, Niko Novak and Tommaso Finzi.
Co produced by TRANSMEDIA and ARCH PRODUCTION from Gorizia (Italy) and the Slovenian co producer Potemkinove vasi.
The film was financially supported by the Slovenian Film Fund - a public fund that provided the resources for the enlargement, Fondo regionale per l'audiovisivo of Friuli Venezia Giulia that provided development resources, and sponsored by the partner KB1909 from Gorizia.
The production of this short film represents the first attempt at an organic connection of Slovenian cinematography with the Italian space by means of cooperation between the production houses Staragara, Transmedia and Arch Production from Gorizia, support of the Slovenian Film Fund and FVG Film Commission, and a sponsorship partnership with the financial company KB1909.

Read more about the Venice Film Festival at:
http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/news/cortocortissimo.html