Communism and the Net or The End of Representative Democracy

director: Karel Vachek

original title: Komunismus a síť aneb Konec zastupitelské demokracie

year: 2019

running time: 335 min.

synopsis

The six-hour essay in four parts examines the history of regimes and revolutions, leaders and martyrs, from a philosophical perspective. The collage of personal memories, staged scenes and archives of collective memory compares the Prague Spring to the Velvet Revolution and shows the exposure, conflict, crisis, and catharsis of the post-communist society. Democracy can be saved through creative laughter, dissolving the untouchability and hypertrophic egos of the representatives of state institutions. The Internet frees the society from representatives of the non-functional connecting link that prevents direct communication between citizens and institutions of power.

“I can see you until I spot you. Once I spot you, I cannot see you anymore.” K. Vachek

biography

Karel Vachek (1940) creates multi-layered philosophical and social essays. In 2004, he published the book The Theory of Matter. Films: Moravian Hellas, 1963, Elective Affinities, 1968, New Hyperion or Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood, 1992, What Is to Be Done? (A Journey from Prague to Český Krumlov, or How I Formed a New Government, 1996, Bohemia Docta or The Labyrinth of the World and the Lust-house of the Heart A Divine Comedy, 2000, Who Will Watch the Watchman? Dalibor, or the Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin, 2002, Obscurantist and His Lineage or The Pyramids’ Tearful Valleys, 2011.

more about film

director:	Karel Vachek
producer:	Mikuláš Novotný, Radim Procházka, Robert Kirchhoff
script:	Karel Vachek
photography:	Karel Slach
editing:	Renata Pařezová, Helena Papírníková
sound:	Dušan Kozák
co-producer:	Robert Kirchhoff, Vít Komrzý

back to listing