STA, 16 June 2022 - Rogaška Slatina will host between 16 and 19 June the first international festival of sports film of the Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs (FICTS) in Slovenia. Under the banner Culture Through Sport, the festival will bring more than 35 feature films and documentaries, and a number of activities, events and presentations.
On Saturday, 18 June, the focus will be on Olympic films and sports, so several local sports clubs and associations will be presented. A round table debate will also be held to discuss women in sports and honour Slovenian NBA players, the Rogaška Slatina municipality says on its website.
The festival's programme will feature films such as One for All by David Ilundain, documentary Balandrau, Hell Frozen Over by Guille Cascante, comedy On Your Marks by Maria Pincikova, Elie Grappe's Olga, a film about 15-year-old Ukrainian gymnast, and Žućko by Gordan Matić, a semi-documentary about Yugoslav basketball legend Radivoj Korać.
Also to be screened is The Pygmalion Effect, a film about the psychological approach that Ante Kostelić used on his children Janica and Ivica Kostelić, who went to become Olympic and world skiing champions.
Several Slovenian films will also be on the programme, including Moj Novi Cilj (My New Goal), Kristjan, and Strast do Letenja (Passion of Flying).
Accompanying the festival will be two exhibitions: a photo exhibition dedicated to the Slovenian Sports Day, which was first presented in front of the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana, and an exhibition showcasing several unique trophies, cups and presents made by glassworks Steklarna Rogaška.
Several awards will be conferred at the closing ceremony on Sunday, 19 June, including for best documentaries, best feature film, and best promotional film. The winners will represent Slovenia at the FICTS closing film festival in Milan.
Slovenia was officially endorsed as the 21st FICTS film festival venue at the end of last year and Rogaška Slatina was picked as the town to host the event after months of deliberation.
The festival has 125 members around the world and takes place in 20 countries from five continents.
