FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
The Czech Film Week in Zagreb
An analysis of contemporary Czech film
production on the occasion of The Week of Contemporary
Czech Film held in Zagreb from September 14 to 20, 1998.
The cycle of contemporary Czech film caused filmophile
pandemonium which Zagreb has not seen in quite a while.
Seven film by a younger generation of Czech authors who
achieved success in the Czech Republic as well as abroad
were: Akumulator
1 and Kolja by Jan Sverak, The Education of Girls in the Czech
Republic by Petar Kolihe and The Wonderful Messed Up Years by
Petar Nikolaev, the omnibus Twerps by Petar
Zelenka, Conspirators of Passion by
Jan Švankmajer and The Forgotten Light by Vladimir
Michalek. Almost all the films reflect a cinematic maturity,
quality schooling and a high degree of professionalism
and inventiveness. This solidity is given to them by their
old classics, excellent film schools, the exceptional Barrandov
studio and good shots.
The least it gives them is a mass
production, which is not any greater than Croatia’s average
annual output. The central attraction of the program was
the film Twerps
(Knoflikara) by Petar Zelenka which is a cult film
in festival circles. It is obvious that comedies are
the Czech’s strongest point. Not only does Zelenka attest
to this, but Jan Sverak, the author of Kolja and Akumulator
1, as well who reliance on the grotesque and stylization
is very similar to the mentality of the generation of
Croatian authors born around 1960.
The Week of Czech Film was a wonderful experience that
the better films we want to make ourselves — like Czech
films, are not beyond our reach.
Czech film has also undergone a transformation since
it was completely internationally marginalized until two
successes, Kolja and Knoflikara, did not
put them back on the map. The films shown illustrate that
Czech film was not sleeping: among those making films are
primarily new faces. Sverak, Zelenka and the majority of
directors from the Week of Czech Film are children of the
films of the 90’s, and supposedly there are many of them.
This is a signpost for how Croatia should raise the level
of its production until it achieves a solid average of
success. This means making more, cheaper films, giving
projects to young directors and stimulating the middle
generation. With this type of production politics we could
expect a Week of Croatian Film that perhaps wouldn’t have
a Kolja, but would be on the level of other Czech films. Jurica Pavičić |