Steely and absorbing in its downbeat toughness, The Christening is one of the more accomplished and satisfying mainstream thrillers to emerge from eastern Europe in the last couple of years. [...] A probing examination of masculinity, fatherhood and friendship, set against a lightly-sketched background of a fast-changing modern Poland, The Christening is essentially a universal tale. - Neil Young, The Hollywood Reporter Director Marcin Wrona has an eye for the simple, unadorned moments of truth between people. - MUBI.com In Marcin Wrona's slow-burning thriller, THE CHRISTENING, the thirty-something Michal (Wojciech Zielinski), is about to celebrate the christening of his first child. He is living the life of a successful businessman, until a formerly close friend - Janek (Tomasz Schuchardt) - arrives to become the child's godfather. Janek gradually discovers that Michal's underworld connections are coming back to haunt him, threatening an idyllic snapshot of family bliss. Wrona devotes this forceful film to a portrayal of family and friendship put to the ultimate test. The screening is part of the Disappearing Act European Film Festival,running April 11-22, 2012 at the IFC Center (opening night), the Bohemian National Hall and the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF) in New York. It presents 25 contemporary films from 21 European countries. Disappearing Act launched in 2009 and instantly became a popular annual event in New York for its unique, carefully curated celebration of the vitality of European cinema, presenting films that have gained acclaim on the festival circuit and with critics, to a wider American audience. Disappearing Act IV is organized by the Czech Center New York and the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York in partnership with the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, the Belgian Tourist Office - French Speaking Belgium - Brussels Wallonia, the Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia, the Consulate General of Estonia, the Consulate General of the Slovak Republic, the Consulate General of Slovenia, the Consulate General of Sweden, the Consulate General of Switzerland, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, the Embassy of Portugal, the French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF), Flanders House, the Goethe-Institut New York, the Hungarian Cultural Center, the IFC Center, Instituto Cervantes - The Cultural Center of Spain in New York together with Spain Culture New York - the Consulate General of Spain, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Polish Cultural Institute New York, and with the support of the +421 Foundation, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, the EYE Film Institute Netherlands, the Slovak Film Institute, and Wallonie Bruxelles Images. An official project of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), with the support of the EU Delegation to the United Nations. The festival is curated and produced by Irena Kovarova. FESTIVAL DETAILS
