Pan Hrstka

Goran Paskaljević / Czechoslovakia / 1969 / The film already had its Czech Premiere / 8 min.

synopsis

Mr Hrstka lives in a small house by the railway station and works as a factory labourer and art-school model. Those around him tend to view him negatively, describing him as lazy, gluttonous, stupid or ugly. Nevertheless, Mr Hrstka seems content, and has inanimate friends in his house. Among other things, this slightly chilling portrait features authentic footage of the working-class community.

biography

Goran Paskaljević (1947–2020) was one of the most prominent Yugoslav graduates of FAMU, whose alumni also include Srdjan Karanović, Rajko Grlić, Lordan Zafranović and Goran Marković. Already during his studies, the Serbian filmmaker made a name for himself through his precise cinematic composition and use of humour and punchlines. He also built a reputation in his home country in the 1970s. His best-known works include Cabaret Balkan (1998), which reflects on the war in Yugoslavia.