Buzzy bees pollinate the flowers in the executioner's courtyard. An overgrown window projects shadows of leaves on the cracked walls of the former cell. Nearby lies the last occupant of the building, the decayed corpse of a curious marten. The former prison has stood in Uherské Hradiště for almost 130 years. Since the WWII it has been the site of political trials, torture and executions. The German Gestapo was replaced by the Czechoslovak Communist government and continued to suppress basic human rights until it ceased operations in the 1960s. The empty premises were used for the Secondary School of Arts and Crafts, a school canteen, a recreation hall, a theatre warehouse. Today the prison is forgotten by its surroundings, surrounded by a supermarket, a bus station and an art school. [Czech film center]

At the heart of this movement is Alishah Farhang, a former Winter Olympic hopeful whose dream of being the first to represent Afghanistan in alpine skiing transforms into a mission to bring his passion for the sport to his homeland. Equipped with handmade wooden skis and secondhand gear, young athletes from rival villages come together to compete in a ski mountaineering race like no other. The event becomes a powerful catalyst for unity and hope, showcasing the transformative power of sport to bridge deep divides. And when their world is suddenly upended, Alishah and the athletes must call upon those lessons learned on the slopes.

Riveting, uplifting and deeply human, this is a story about how champions can be made by more than medals. With the spirit of an underdog sports story, Champions of the Golden Valley is a visually stunning and utterly unique perspective on the Olympic dream – showing how competition can strengthen communities, unite cultures, and bring light to even the most unexpected corners of the world.

Lace Relations follows the twisted threats of textile history. The film looks at the dramatic encounters of Nigeria and Austria; it introduces flamboyant fashion icons and industrious manufacturers,  and evokes the ghosts lingering in the hidden seams of colonial history.

In the early 1990s 13-year-old Karolína, a gifted novice singer, is given the chance to become a member of a world-famous girls' choir, taking her place alongside her older sister and her other rivals in the ensemble. Karolína’s exceptional talent has caught the attention of the formidable and much admired choirmaster whose attention is wanted by all the young singers. What will be the price Karolína has to pay to become his favourite?  [Czech film institute]