Green Horizon

A glimpse into the extraordinary life of a person who far exceeded the conventional perception of what a scientist is: he walked barefoot through the countryside wearing a pilgrim’s hooded cloak, engaged in passionate discussions that lasted for hours, joked and laughed, always friendly, interested in talking to anyone about anything.  Tomáš Škrdlant presents materials for the documentary film that they worked on together over the course of many years. Tomáš Daněk presents the scientific and philosophical works of Zdeněk Neubauer. ---Dílnu vedou / The Workshop is led by: Tomáš Škrdlant, Tomáš Daněk

In honor of Arnošt and Jaroslava Hanibal’s wedding in September 1974, Ivan M. Jirous held the “First Festival of Other Culture” in Postupice, with the passive presence of the police. Performers included Old Teenagers, Sen Noci Svatojánské Band, Goldberg Grass Band, DG 307, Svatopluk Karásek, Charlie Soukup, and the Plastic People. The evening also featured a screening of Jan Ságl’s earlier films. The documentary opens with people gathering by the Rudolfinum in Prague, and also captures a part of the various performances. From the footage, it is evident that there were other cameramen present with 16mm film, making this one of the best-documented underground events.

We most commonly see Normalization era in Czechoslovakia – the time of social and political repression following the country’s invasion by Warsaw Pact troops in 1968 – through documentaries about dissidents or from old television series. But the dilemmas posed by the totalitarian regime affected everybody. The 16-part series Stories of the 20th Century explores various people’s (students, journalists, miners, secret police collaborators, soldiers, rank-and-file Party members, homosexuals, and many others) responses to the pressure they received not only from the government apparatus but also from those around them. ---Three films from the series will be presented by their writers and directors. Tři filmy představí a debatu o nich povedou režiséři a scenáristé cyklu.

Music programmer and curator Pavel Klusák presents abstract and experimental films as a window onto the radicalization of the term “music video.” Noise, drone, feedback, sound collages, field recordings, deep electronica, improvised interactions, the post-technological world: experimental music as a source of inspiration and provocation for contemporary visual artists. Matthew Revert and Vanessa Rossetto, Franck Vigroux and Mika Vainio, Jon Rafman and Oneohtrix Point Never, and other collaborative efforts.---The Workshop is led by Pavel Klusák

Jan Ságl (*1942) is considered the court photographer of the Czechoslovak underground of the 1960s and ’70s. He also shot a total of 12 short films in 1971-1974. With a Super-8 camera, he photographed and filmed scenes from the underground, including concerts and happenings. Because he was a past of this closed community, his camera and hand-held spotlight had direct access to people and events, allowing him to create a captivating record of the atmosphere of underground culture.---Kurátor programu a autor textů / Curator and author of the texts: Martin Blažíček, FAMU CAS

This graduate project film made by an Indian student of the Documentary Department looks at the issue of racism in Czechoslovakia. One specific story of love and hate, of prejudice and good will, is expanded to include the experiences of other foreigners in the country. In addition to the protagonist’s narrative, the film is accompanied by a commentary by Antonín Navrátil.

Preparations for a concert by the Plastic People and Aktual in the village of Suchá by Nejdek. The film records the arrival of the band members, moving the equipment, and setting up the stage, but not the concert itself, which took place in absolute darkness and is seen on the film only as a brief shot of someone breathing fire – one of the many pyrotechnical effects that were a part of the Plastics’ concerts. It is a momentary homage to fire-breather, stage technician, and later the drummer for DG 307, Vladimír Vyšín.

Gertjan Zuilhof is former programmer for the Rotterdam film festival. Although he is not a China, nor does he speak Chinese, he became good friends with numerous independent Chinese filmmakers. Zuilhof has chosen two recent independent productions to illuminate the situation of independent Chinese filmmakers today –Man’s World by artist/filmmaker Han Tao and Welcome by producer/filmmaker Zhu Rikun. Both deal with police brutality, but do so in very different and stylistically distinct ways. Spoken word is very important in both films – lies as well as the truth.---Dílnu vede / The Workshop is led by: Gertjan Zuilhof

Using reconstruction methods and the protagonist’s personal commentary, this Flahertyesque documentary takes a look at the life of an 80-year-old man who is raising his three grandchildren, whose mother has died and whose father has abandoned them. It is not, however, merely a lecture about practical activities, but rather about the principles and values he introduces to the children.“In addition to a pure idea, Sýkora inserted immense and pure emotion into his film – love and admiration of a person, honoring his life and his work.” Antonín Navrátil

A private concert by the Plastic People at their practice space in the now-demolished house (no. 1) on the corner of Dělnická and Argentinská Streets in Prague. Because of the cramped conditions, Ságl recorded the events in extreme close-up using his characteristic hand-held lighting. The close-ups are often on the border of being out of focus. This, combined with the bright light source, makes it one of the rawest and most original documentaries of its time.

A concert by the Plastic People and Aktual at the Music F Club on 26 February 1971 – usually called one of the key events of the Czech underground. The film captures pre-concert preparations and the concert itself, including the industrial elements of Milan Knížák’s Aktual (the use of power drill, metal percussion, various objects, and throwing rice into the audience). The second part of the film shows some of the costumes and stage designs that Jan Ságl made for the Plastics’ concerts with his wife Zorka Ságlová.

It is the late 1980s. Petr Mička and Jirka Imlauf are friends at the Faculty of Education in Ústí nad Labem. Two years still remain before the Velvet Revolution. What could their random participation in an unpermitted protest possibly achieve? And what happens after a random look into the Cibulka List of supposed collaborators 20 years later?