Petr Fischer on Film and Czech Television

FRESH NEWS 03

6TH FRESH FILM FEST | FRIDAY AUGUST 14TH, 2009 | KARLOVY VARY | ENGLISH VERSION

Actualities Petr Fischer on Film Afro, Sex and Funky. and Czech Television Fresh Shop In Other Words: Blaxploitation In the fresh festival shop at the festival centre right next to the ticket counter, besides FFF T-shirts, bags and badges you can also buy books about Petr Lébl, art magazines, and especially products of young Czech designers, for friendly festival prices. Just a few meters further, more creative visitors can make their own T-shirts, bags, or underwear, using original iron-on patches. Video Mapping From 10.00pm the liveliness of the Thermal hotel will extend even to the outside, with the “new visual art style”, video mapping. A 3D light projection will be screened on the front side of the hotel, and will add another, completely new dimension to it. Peťo Tázok, a visitor from a parallel universe. Attention please, attention please, tonight at 11.00pm Slovakian rapper Peťo Tázok will teleport himself from the town of VP84 into Karlovy Vary. PETR FISCHER TRUCK TURNER If you don't know who we’re talking about, perhaps his aliases, Bene One of the three jurors for the Fresh Generation competition section is journalist Petr Fischer, who has In the early 70’s, the US film industry was in a crisis again. In earlier times, and Modré hory will tell you more. Peťo Tázok has been on the rap worked for different periodicals and in the editorial office of the Czech BBC. Fresh news is that soon he the industry saved itself by introducing new technological innovations scene since 2006, with his album will move to Czech television, where he will be directing the editorial office for art and culture. We asked (colour, wide-screen, 3D projection). But this time, salvation was found in debut called VP84, with such hits him several questions about his job as a juror and about his plans within Czech television. targeting a new demographic: the African-American urban audience. In as Dočasná záležitost (Temporary the period of 1971-1978 in American cinema, cheap movies that featured Matter). Last year, he released an African-American stars had a leading role in the film industry. These films album called “Album”, together Why did you accept the role of a juror at FFF and what do you expect from the young directors’ films? with producer Karaoke Tundra, For me the interesting thing is making up some rules that I can use when looking at films. In my work as in different ways met the definition of the term “exploitation”. These were who is arriving tonight as well. You a film critic I’m trying to find and create these measures every day. It’s very interesting when I have the B-movies that were sensational, scandalous or had controversial elements can recognize Peťo Tázok by his old opportunity to compare them with other jurors. Films within this section are debuts or second films, which is (sex, violence, drugs), which were deliberately highlighted. But there helmet, leopard’s coat and funny were also films which attracted the audiences because of topics of racial high-pitched voice, with which he's even more interesting as young directors in their beginnings are trying to break the stereotypes. In this sense declaring his lyrics, which will take it is probably the most “fresh” stuff that you can see here. emancipation or because of featuring African-American movie stars. These you aback. In the annotation to movies were produced by big Hollywood production companies such as the album, it says that city VP84 And so what are the criteria that you set for evaluating the films you see here at FFF? MGM, Warner Brothers, Paramount or United Artists. These companies also is located in a parallel universe. They aren’t set in advance. That’s why working as a juror is so interesting for me. We have to find these provided distribution of movies made in smaller production companies, of So thanks God for Teleport, which makes travelling so much easier... criteria again and discuss them, which is exactly the work I enjoy. Discovering the criteria is always the most which American International Pictures dominated the blaxploitation field. interesting part. It is new all the time, not based on a set criteria or set form. But evaluating according to set Black Hole into Space criteria has unfortunately been quite common in Czech film journalism. Cotton Comes to Harlem, a detective comedy presented by United Artists in 1970, is often considered one of the key films to trigger the blaxploitation No experienced space traveller wishes to fall into a black hole, Those six films in the Fresh Generation section are quite “genre” typed films, how are you going to trend. The following year, two more pictures were released which, with their for sure. But “Black Hole” bar, that evaluate them? impertinence and peremptoriness, set the form of this American films genre is something different! It's at the Each genre film works with a certain code, and this code is partly being confirmed and at the same time partly (blaxploitation). Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, an underground same place where the Rec Bar movie which was very avant-garde and hence supposedly less attractive was last year, so it's easy to find. overcome. My favourite thesis is of Karel Thein's, a philosopher and a film critic. He says that filming is nothing For those who haven't been to more that filling some genre categories, but that in Czech cinematography, since the time of the new wave, to audiences, showed with its successful sales that nonconformist films the Rec Bar, it's simply on the we have seen it differently. Czech filmmakers made a step aside, they started doing social-critique, instead of with radical messages do not necessarily have to be non-commercial. On groundfloor of the Thermal hotel, doing film. But Thein states that the genre reveals what kind of a filmmaker one is, and that it's not only about the basis of Sweet Sweetback's success, the screenplay of Shaft was opposite the parking lot. There is rewritten in the very last minute. The self-confidant hero of this film, who also a sunny terrace, from which confirming the particular genre, but also about stepping out of it, and redefining it. you can watch projections on the gains the respect of his white colleagues for his professionalism, became a river while drinking coffee, beer And do you think that Czech filmmakers can work within genre categories? model for the heroes of blaxpoitation films. or shots, and eating healthy I think they can't that they're still avoiding it, trying to say something about society instead. Actually, the only homemade meals – e.g. Hummus genre that Czech directors are trying to perfect is that of the “warm-hearted comedy”, a special genre that has During the following years, this category grew in the diversity of its genres. or potato soup. been “defined” by the Czechs. It offered horror films, comedies or action movies with martial arts, Push Those Peddles! featuring African-American actors. Nevertheless, most of the new genres So now about your new work for Czech television. What interesting things are you expecting from that? could not compete in quality with the skillfully made films in the detective Or would you rather not? Try genre, which became the spine of the blaxploitation group of films. Films a ride on an electric bicycle, with I don't expect anything at all from Czech television. The only thing I expect is that it will give us space so that an electric engine, where you can we can do our work differently from how it used to be done there. And I was given such a promise. We can say starring Pam Gier, the most famous female African-American actress, peddle only when you really feel like that until now, there has never existed a real editorial office for art and culture, that it was only about simple brought a message to audiences about not only the African-American it. You can fly up to 25km/h and announcing of events. There was no critical opinion, no endeavour to put things into a broader context, which consciousness, but also about gender equality. However, by 1978 the fame no driving license is obliged. You will of the blaxpoitation era was already gone and this whole group of films have a chance to rent these is what I hope to change. We want to open up and broaden art and culture on TV, we want to have longer on Friday and Saturday in front programmes, thematic blocks, on ČT24 we should be twice a week in the main news. Our aim is to present art was fading out. Despite its relatively short duration, this period changed of the Thermal hotel. and culture as a part of society, something that we're living, not only watching and consuming. US cinematography in a crucial way. Above all it changed the amount of MP opportunities for African-American actors, who began to be among the best-paid actors in the industry. JF 6FFF KARLOVY VARY FRESH NEWS 03 FRIDAY AUGUST 14TH, 2009 ENG

Magical Petr Lébl Fresh Ambient

JUROR LARRY SIDER SJÓN SIGURDSSON AND AIDA ABBASOVÁ

PETR LÉBL, PHOTO: BOHDAN HOLOMÍČEK

When he tapped on my shoulder, and on my life, in1992, it did not take him long to persuade me to cooperate with him and some others on a project called Kroměříž Studio (I think the director Potužil was there with him, too). Immediately I felt comfortable, open and in a friendly connection with him. He was pulsing with intensive energy and with a specific kind of tenderness. And so then we gradually started shooting Studio K. A bizarre community started around it, which was its core, but other people were catching up, according to the themes of particular parts. Lébl knew that in the Bílé Divadlo theatre company, acting improv was being cultivated and that I admired and used it. And since improvisation was one of the dominant elements of Studio K., this work immediately became a pleasure for my soul. Doing that was joy and playfulness and wit and imagination. What was the greatness and charm of Studio K.? Mystification. Parodying gibberish discussions about something and nothing, as we know them intimately from today’s screen. Conceiving of ideas on the spot – from a topic chosen by Lébl. School of interaction. Language esprit and inventiveness. Flashes of wisdom within stupidities. OPENING GRANDE DANCING IN TELEPORT Seriousness within irony, the grotesque within the sublime. Finding bits of gold within the blather to make our thoughts sparkle. The spirit and sense of nonsense. The strength and clearness of spontaneously spoken text. The magic of the odd, and of intentional and unintentional humour. HLAVNÍ SÁL / SÁL / SÁL / KINO / KINO / KLUB / HOTEL BAR Poetry, a very distinctive poetry… SÁL / HALL HALL HALL CINEMA CINEMA CLUB THERMAL ČERNÁ Some young people from FFF asked me to help them after they decided to do Petr MAIN A B C ČAS PANA- ELKO FASÁDA/ DÍRA / Lébl’s filmography at this year’s FFF. Namely, Jakub Felcman, the programme HALL SONIC FACADE BLACK director of FFF, as well as Eliška Nováková, from the Faculty of Theatre Production at JAMU, and Vojtěch Mašek, from the Department of Screenwriting and HOLE 9.00 11.00 10.45 10.00 9.15 14.30 15.00 22.00 Dramaturgy at FAMU (who was just finishing his theses on Lébl and Studio K.). I Hlavní soutěž / Kinorama Fresh Generation Projekce školních filmů / Centropa Petr Lébl Petr Lébl Zvláštní uvedení / School Films Screening Retrospektiva / Retrospective Retrospektiva / Retrospective was very pleased by their idea. I’m glad that they accepted him, almost in a cultish Main Competition Fotojatka Weitertanzen 2/2 Special Event 14.30 Filmakademie Žiletky Výběr z TV pořadů / Video Mapping way. But it’s right that they should do so. Lébl is irreplaceable, after him there is a 3/4 Projekce / Screening Das Mädchen mit den gelben Visegrad Cocktail 12.30 Baden-Württemberg Strümpfen Selection from TV Světelná show / Light Show Filmy / Films 17.00 shows 10 years gap. But thankfully he left us a wide and genius collection of works. 12.45 Zvláštní uvedení / Special 16.00 11.00 Osma Projekce školních filmů / Event 11.00 Koncert / Concert Prof. Miloš Horanský Hlavní soutěž / České debuty a druhé filmy / School Films Screening Visegradská 11.15 Fresh Generation 16.00 Main Competition Czech First and Second Films ARLT Theatre Optique 4/4 Den Danske Filmskole karavana / Visegrad Truffe* Sestra Petr Lébl Filmy / Films Caravan 2/2 Retrospektiva / Retrospective Studio Kroměříž I. 20.30 13.00 13.30 19.30 Divadelní představení / Fresh Classics 14.00 13.15 Fresh Generation Dramatic Performance 16.15 Osma FOYER Workshopy / Workshops Zvláštní uvedení / Special Event 17.30 Fresh Audio – tune (500) Days of Summer Petr Lébl Sauna* České debuty a druhé filmy / Théâtre de la Liberté 3D Animace / Retrospektiva / Retrospective Peter Kršák Czech First and Second Petr Lébl DISKUSNÍ Paix intergalactique Animation Na Blaník! Studentské filmy / Films Retrospektiva / Retrospective 15.30 ...téma: Franz Kafka Student films PREMIÉRA / PREMIERE Děti noci Studio Kroměříž II. KOUTEK / Fresh Classics 16.30 SOUTĚŽNÍ SNÍMKY / your ears! Film With Me In It FILMS IN COMPETITION Q&A Panorama 18.15 14.45 19.00 Rozum a Cit / Sense Petr Lébl Mimo soutěž / Petr Lébl KLUB / Retrospektiva / Retrospective CORNER This year’s FFF considers those whose eyes are weary with watching. And so as a and Sensibility Retrospektiva / Retrospective 16.00 PREMIÉRA / PREMIERE Out of Competition Studio Kroměříž III. part of the program there are many opportunities to listen to radio plays presented SOUTĚŽNÍ SNÍMKY / Egon Tobiáš: Jak je 2/4 Centropa CLUB FILMS IN COMPETITION 22:15 sladké tvoje žvanění by FFF in cooperation with Vltava station, Czech Radio. Three radio plays will be 2/2 21.00 14.00, 15.00 TELEPORT Panorama 16.30 Strážce kouzel Petr Lébl Setkání s tvůrci / Meeting played in the Thermal hotel and Elko club in Karlovy Vary. The high quality of sound 18.00 Obyčejné šílenství / Fresh Audio 19.00 Retrospektiva / Retrospective With the Film Makers will be enriched by the uniqueness of sharing the experience. Hlavní soutěž / Ordinary Madness 20.15 Petr Pýcha, Jaroslav Fresh Generation Andělé tě hlídají Rozhovor s účastníky 23.00 Main Competition Petr Lébl Rudiš: Salcburský Sex Galaxy soutěže / Interview The key feature of this programme will be the premiere of the radio play 3/4 Retrospektiva / Retrospective guláš 22.00 with Competitors Peťo Tázok + Rozhlasová hra / Radio Drama Salzburg Goulash, by Petr Pýcha and Jaroslav Rudiš, directed by Aleš Vrzák, Revizor 21.00 Petr Lébl Karaoke Tundra 20.00 Fresh Generation Retrospektiva / Retrospective featuring Josef Somr and Martha Issová. This production will take place in the Hall Theatre Optique 18.30 Black ...téma: Franz Kafka DJ Robot C at the Thermal hotel, today at 4.30pm. 2/2 Kontakt Within this programme, Fresh Film Fest will also present the most famous works 21.30 19.45 of legendary radio director Jiří Hrdlička. Samuel Beckett’s All That Fall and Ludvík Hlavní soutěž / Mimo soutěž / 23.59 BLAXPLOITATION Askenazy’s It Was on Your Account, were written in the 60’s, and the most Main Competition Out of Competition 4/4 Elkland NIGHT important personalities of Czech theatre performed as main characters (e.g. Karel 23.30 Höger, Zdeňek Štěpánek, Vlasta Chramostová, Olga Scheinpflugová and Josef Mimo soutěž / Sweet Sweetback’s Kemr). The play It Was on Your Account can be heard on Saturday, August 15th at Out of Competition Baadasssss Song 3/4 1.30pm in Elko club. Foxy Brown

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