CineKino

Belgian cinema is two cultures - one French-speaking, the other Dutch-speaking - as rich as they are different. An exploration of some of the greats, including Jaco Van Dormael and André Delvaux.

This episode traces the history of French cinema, through key dates and milestones, including the first public screenings of the Lumière brothers in 1895, and the the creation in 1943 of Idhec, ancestor of the Fémis school of cinema which trained Louis Malle, Alain Resnais and François Ozon.

An entertaining and surprising foray through German film history. Highlights, key scenes and treasures, from the silent movie era to the recent success of German cinema

Czech and Slovak cinema has a diverse and rich history encompassing fairy tales, surrealism, sensuality and political upheavals. It saw a creative flowering in the period of the Czechoslovak New Wave led by Milos Forman, Vera Chytilova, Ivan Passer and Jiri Menzel.

With stars like Claudia Cardinale and great directors such as Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti and Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italian cinema has left a lasting imprint in the international film industry.

From Daniel Craig to Michael Fassbender, Alfred Hitchcock to Stephen Frears, a journey through British cinema from art-house to James Bond blockbusters.

A spotlight on Spanish cinema with Pedro Almodóvar, his muse Penelope Cruz and their illustrious predecessor Luis Buñuel. An opportunity to get to know lesser known gems like the works of Fernando Trueba and the many versions of Don Quixote.

With three languages and many great names, Swiss cinema is diverse. Bruno Ganz’s performances stands out in films such as Wim Wenders’ ‘The American Friend’ and ‘Wings of Desire’ or memorably as Adolf Hitler in Oliver Hirschbiegel’s ‘Downfall’.

Recent international successes from Polish cinema include ‘Ida’ by Pawel Pawlikowski and Roman Polanski’s ‘The Pianist’. These filmmakers confront their country’s tumultuous past but Polish cinema also has other great directors, many of them former students at the National Film School in Łódź.

Spotlight on Austrian cinema with two internationally famous filmmakers: Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon) and Ulrich Seidl (the Paradise Trilogy). Austria is also reputed for its documentary and independent production scene.