International Film Festival For Children And Youth Zlin

With less than 2 weeks to go until the 50th anniversary celebrations begin for the ZLIN FILM FESTIVAL, the first major film  event following CANNES, the question I am hearing from associates is: where and what is Zlin? Well, let me answer that with some relevant information on a city both historic and modern.

Zlin is a city situated in the southeastern Moravian district of what is now the Czech Republic. The city is a natural metropolis, a city of statues, a university seat and the center of the Zlín Region. It has a long history that extends back hundreds of years, but is probably best known as the city that gave birth to the famous Bata shoe factories in the beginning decades of the 20th century. Zlin is also famous for its unique functionalist architecture and the dynamic rate of growth over the past ten years.

Zlín has been characterized in the past decade as the city of entrepreneurs. After the Velvet Revolution,  a number of companies based here gained a crucial position within the framework of the Czech industry, and their representatives began to successfully do business on foreign markets, which hadn't been previously accessible. The city has become a major center in the areas of machine production, rubber and plastics industry and shoe manufacturing. Zlín's world-famous Tomáš Baťa University trains managers and specialists mainly in technological and economic fields. The specific training offered by high schools includes construction, machinery, chemistry, electrical technology and economics. Zlín is the Czech center for development and research.

The city has a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, it was simply an encampment on a wooded hill dominated by a small castle of local kings. The first historical record of Zlin's existence comes from the year 1322, when it came into the possession of Queen Eliška, the widow of Wenceslas II, the king of Bohemia. Already at that time Zlín was a township and the centre of quite a widespread feudal estate.

The town grew into an artistic and commercial center under the stewardship of several generations of the Bohemian royal family. By the 16th century, the town came under the jurisdiction of the Czech King Vladislav, who granted the citizens of Zlín economic rights. The town witnessed flourishing trade and craft, mainly drapery, pottery and shoemaking and became quite prosperous. Many buildings from this flowering of 16th century Zlin still exist.

However, in the 17th century, there were many decades of turmoil, mainly from  attacks from Hungarian, Polish and Hasburg armies. It took Zlín over 100 years to recover from its wounds. The activity of crafts and trade was restored in the 18th century. Zlín could then pride itself on its church, which had been rebuilt in the Baroque style and the newly reconstructed castle. In the second half of the 18th century, a large linen manufactory was built which produced linen that was valued throughout Europe and the New World.

Larger industrial enterprises appeared in the town in the mid-19th century, which brough renewed prosperity to its citizens. In particular, Zlin became known for its manufactured goods, including the famous Bata Shoes that made its reputation around the world.  It kept its entreprenurial reputation during the tumultuous years of World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. During the Communist years, it greatly expanded and became one of the wealthiest towns in what was then Czechoslovakia. Baťa´s Plants, both the complex in Zlín and other factories in Czechoslovakia, were nationalized in October 1945 and the Baťa family moved the seat of its company to Canada. In 1948, the Communist Party attempted to change the name oof the city to Gottwaldov after the Communist president of Czechoslovakia, Klement Gottwald who was given power by the 1948 coup.

In the following years Zlín preserved its significant position thanks to its extensive industrial production. It was also strengthening its role as the administrative, educational and cultural centre of south-east Moravia. The 1968 "Prague Spring" reform movement found strong support in the region. Refoorms were unfortunately halted by the Soviet occupation of the country in August 1968 and demonstrations against the occupation were ruthlessly suppressed.

Despite difficult economic and political times, the city flourished as an industrial, arts and education center. It also established a  strong film presence with the Gottwaldov Film Studios and the local artistry of such prominent Czech directors as Karel Zeman and Hermína Týrlová, whose work became well known not only in Czechoslovakia but also abroad. The Zlin Film Festival, dedicated to showcasing work produced for children and young adults, began in 1961 and has become a major international film event.

After the fall of the Communist regime in November 1989, people living in the city started to press for the return of its original name. Thus, since January 1, 1990, the city has been called Zlín again. Zlin is currently home to 85,000 people and thanks to its economic position continues to play an important role among prominent cities of the Czech Republic. As a garden city harmoniously settled in its beautiful natural surroundings, Zlín is a unique example of the architecture and town planning of the 20th century. For more information, visit: http://www.zlin.eu/en/

Sandy Mandelberger, Festival Dailies Editor