Peter "Koza" Baláž is a former Olympic boxer. He and his partner, Miša, live in a dilapidated housing estate, constantly struggling to make ends meet. Miša learns that she is expecting a child and decides to terminate her pregnancy. She pressures Koza to get money for the procedure. Koza, who has not trained in a while, steps back into the ring, hoping to earn some much-needed cash and possibly change Miša's mind. He and his manager, Zvonko, embark on a "tour", where success is not measured in victories, but in the amount of blows that Koza can take. The film features Peter Baláž, who competed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and Ján Franek, Olympic medallist from Moscow 1980, as his coach.

Direction: Ivan Ostrochovský

Script: Marek Leščák, Ivan Ostrochovský

Production: Marek Urban, Ivan Ostrochovský, Jiří Konečný, Ivan Ostrochovský

Cinematography: Martin Kollár

Editing: Viera Čákanyová, Maroš Šlapeta, Matej Beneš, Peter Morávek

Sound: Tobias Potočný

Cast: Peter Baláž, Stanislava Bongilajová, Nikola Bongilajová, Zvonko Lakčević, Tatiana Piussi, Ján Franek

Original Title: KOZA

Original Languages: Czech, English, German, Slovak

Subtitles: English

Film Production Countries: Slovakia, Czechia

Website: http://http://www.kozamovie.com

Social Media: http://www.facebook.com/kozafilm

Statement of the Director/s
Koza is a simple guy from a special school for kids with learning disabilities and disorders, but what I really respect about him is that considering the situation he grew up in, he worked his way up. His parents left him with his grandmother and since Koza's father was a boxer, too, Koza wanted to impress his dad and started boxing because of him, hoping the parents would take him back. Koza is a nice person, but he's somehow struggling to get control of his life.

I knew that hiring him to do the film would also make his life a bit easier – he would get paid and would get some extra cash beside his low disability pension. He was glad to have this opportunity and he hoped his life would change.

Of course, nobody can change your life for you. You only can do it on your own. But what helped Koza is that for four years, during the time we were preparing and shooting the film, he was in contact with a different reality, which, of course, influenced him, changed his perception of life, moved him into a different direction.

Koza's story is tough and sad, it deals with several pressing and complicated issues, but that was not the storyline we wanted to emphasize. On the contrary, we even wanted to repress it to avoid the pathos which usually emerges when one stresses pain, misery and misfortune.

To express the “step-back” formally, as well, with cinematographer Martin Kollár we decided to shoot the film with a static camera and in long shots. That gives the audience a bit of a psychological distance and emotional freedom in the film.

Biography of the Director/s
Ivan Ostrochovský studied documentary filmmaking at the Bratislava's Academy of Performing Arts. He's also the co-owner and producer at two production companies - sentimentalfilm and Punkchart films.

Ostrochovský’s feature documentary debut VELVET TERRORISTS, co-directed with Pavol Pekarčík and Peter Kerekes, was presented at the 64th Berlinale (Forum) and received the Tagesspiegel Readers' Prize. Further festivals and awards included: Karlovy Vary IFF – FEDEORA Award, Planete+ Doc – Special Mention, Hot Docs IFF, Hamptons IFF – Special Mention, Vilnius FF, Sofia IFF, Transilvania IFF, Odessa IFF.

His feature debut KOZA (2015) received the Works in Progress Award at Karlovy Vary IFF 2014 and was premiered at the 65th Berlinale (Forum), where it was nominated for the Best First Feature Award by the Festival Director. The film started a successful festival career: Vilnius IFF – Best Film, Art Cinema Award; goEast – Best Director, FIPRESCI Award; IndieLisboa - TVCine & Séries Special Mention; Neisse FF – Best Film; Hongkong IFF; Transilvania IFF; Brussels FF; La Rochelle IFF; Edinburgh IFF; Olhar de Cinema - Best Film, Abraccine Critics' Award; Karlovy Vary IFF; Palić European FF - Seyfi Teoman Award; Pula FF - Best Film (Neighbours and Friends Programme), Special Mention (International Programme); Toronto IFF and others.

Awards Won
Best Film / Vilnius FF Kino Pavasaris, Best Director / goEast Wiesbaden, Best Film / Neisse FF, Best Film / Olhar de Cinema, Best Film / Pula FF

World Sales:
Pluto Film Distribution Network
Patricie Pouzarová
Bayreuther Str. 9
Berlin, D-10789, Germany
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +49 157 8227 4916
Website: http://www.plutofilm.de/