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Bandits of the Ballad

director: Vladimír Morávek

original title: Bandité pro Baladu

country: Czech Republic, Slovakia

year: 2022

running time: 84 min.

synopsis

“A burned-out group of Brno intellectuals decides to go to Kolochava in Ukraine to perform ‘A Ballad for a Bandit’ there.” With these words, the author's collective presents their film, in which they use primarily documentary imagery to compose a lyrical grotesque about an epochal trip, which might be their goal. But it doesn't have to be. The main tool of expression here is the film’s edit, which places various shots, statements, and meanings next to each other, often in a sort of productive conflict. Just like in a poem, the “poetic function” of art and its ability to serve as the primary tool for expressing beauty is manifested in full force before our very eyes.

“So right now I’m hoping that even the second film in the story could have a certain je ne sais quoi to it in spite of fate. And that there's something more left to be said, mainly through cinematic language. I'm dreaming of another film to continue the story.”

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Source: https://www.lidovky.cz/orientace/kultura/zbojnicka-odysea-reziser-vladimir-moravek-pracuje-na-celovecernim-filmu-nikola-suhaj.A190823_144814_ln_kultura_jto

biography

Vladimír Morávek (* 1965) is a Czech theatre and film director. In addition to the iconic comedy Boredom in Brno (2003), he has also shot a number of made-for-TV documentaries, including two on Ukraine – KOLOCHAVA: Seven Days in the Same River (2019) and a contribution to the Ukrajinské čítanky docuseries (2015).

more about film

director:	Vladimír Morávek
producer:	Petr Minařík, Pavel Řehořík, Zora Jaurová, Mátyás Prikler
photography:	Petr Příkaský, Noro Hudec
editing:	Jiří Mikula
music:	Miloš Štědroň
sound:	Tobiáš Potočný

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