Lean a Ladder against Heaven

Jana Ševčíková / Czech Republic / 2014 / 100 min.

synopsis

The question as to whether faith should be responsible for the suffering of social outcasts resonates in this portrait of Catholic priest Marián Kuffa, who leads a parish in the village of Žakovec in the Slovak Tatra Mountains that provides asylum to those released from prison, alcoholics, drug addicts and other people in need. During her five years of filming, the director successfully captured the development of the relationships between the priest and the residents of his parish, who speak freely about themselves and faithfully follow their own separate fates. The film captures the heroism of Kuffa’s faith while giving voice to the polyphonic testimony about misery and despair that comes from the mouths of his wards.

DETAIL:
And now tell me: What are you doing? What are you doing here, in this hospital of souls. If you reject the path, the truth, the life of Jesus, I ask you – why are you here? Go away. Look around and see how many people are here – and there’s always more.

biography

Jana Ševčíková usually works for many years on her documentaries, during which time she gradually becomes as close as possible to her protagonists. Her feature-length films The Rite of Spring (2002), dedicated to the Japanese dancer and choreographer Min Tanaka, and Gyumri (2008), have both been presented at Jihlava. Her documentary about a Romanian religious community, Old Believers (2001), received the Special Prize from the Ecumenical Jury at the international film festivals in Mannheim and Heidelberg.

more about film

director:	Jana Ševčíková
cast:	Marian Kuffa
producer:	Jana Ševčíková
script:	Jana Ševčíková
photography:	Jaromír Kačer
editing:	Eva Mesteková
music:	Alan Vitouš, Vladimír Martinka
sound:	Jaroslav Jehlička, Michal Gabor, Michal Míček