Mezipatra Queer Film Festival [WEB ARCHIVE 2000--2012] - Mezipatra will take place

Mezipatra will take place

Brno, 15/4: Mezipatra were not granted any grant this year Municipality of Brno as a result of Mayor’s Onderka intervention. Instead of that the representatives from the Green party and the association Brno 2006 decided to donate a gift check for the same amount as was the refused grant. In any case, Mezipatra will take place.

Even though the Cultural committee of the Executive Board of the Munucipality of Brno council had approved the grant in amount of 50 thousands Czech crowns (€ 1850) and it had recommended granting of it, the City council members voted for the very opposite. Representatives from the Green party and association Brno 2006 took side of Mezipatra. They decided to donate this amount by themselves and that from money they receive as compensation for work on Boards of directors of municipal companies.

When media asked the Mayor Onderka what the reason was for his negative recommendation they were given following answersl: “The city contributed to the event in the past two years and in my opinion that is sufficient to start the festival up and make it able to survive on its own.” (for Brněnský deník.). Mayor-deputy for CDU-CPP (KDU-ČSL) Daniel Rychnovský openly announced that the fact it concerned gay and lesbian film festival played a role at making the decision. (for MF Dnes)

Even though we asked the Mayor by letter for a meeting right after the refusal of the grant we have not received any answer, not even after phone reminder.
We assume that his negative gesture did not arise from hostility towards the festival or perhaps from some ideological conflict but solely from lack of information of Mr. Onderka.

“Information about the refusal caused a wave of responses, outraged and support. We thank the authors for them but at the same time we remind them that we cannot change that decision by ourselves. Maker of it is Mayor Onderka and it is him – to the address of the Mayor’s office, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – they should address their letters to, describe their positive relation to Mezipatra or explain to him the contribution of the festival to Brno and its citizens,” says the festival director Aleš Rumpel.

Based on numerous responses the citizens’ association STUD Brno, the organizer of Mezipatra, arranged an evening for the supporters of Mezipatra on Wednesday the 15th of April in the club Desert. 

The attendees were informed about the “Mezipatra without the grant from Brno” cause. For the first time they heared the new song of Brno hiphop duo ČokoVoko, which the duo composed as a reaction to the City council’s cut. The also saw selection of the best short films from the past years of the festival.

“In any case the festival will take place in Brno because we know we have support from the viewers but also from part of the City council, that realizes of what importance Mezipatra is not only to Brno as a city but also to its citizens, “ adds Aleš Rumpel. The anniversary 10th edition takes place in the traditional fall term, in Brno from Friday the 23rd of October to Saturday the 31st of October. The Prague dates are 2 - 8 November.

Media contact:
Kateřina Horčicová
PR Manager
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