directed by Duan Hanák, documentary, 96 min, fr subtitles
Paper Heads, "a meditation upon freedom and lack of freedom", analyzes totalitarianism in its Czechoslovakian manifestation both from the point of view of individual Czechs and Slovaks, who suffered under it, and from the perspective of mankind's universal and inalienable right to freedom and liberty. The cinematic structure of Paper Heads rests upon twin pillars: interviews with ordinary Czechs and Slovaks, edited to distil and catalogue the Kafkaesque absurdities that had formed the fabric of their lives since 1945, which are contrasted with archival footage from communist propaganda films to show the official version of life in the workers' paradise.
"At times a surreal film about Communism, at others a film about the surreality of Communism. After years of struggling to represent the past and present accurately in his films, Hanák strikes an acceptable balance. His film was only possible after the ultimate collapse of Communism."
(Kevin Brochet, University of Pittsburgh)
The screening will be followed by a discussion with the director Duan Hanák.
Awards:
IFF San Francisco 1997 (Golden Spire)
IFF Yamagata 1997 (Run-up Price Award)
IFF Karlovy Vary 1996 (Documentary Jury Special Award)
Plus de détails en français ici