Interview (extract): Jitka Mladkova in Interview with Gabriela Tscherniak for Radio Prague during the Karlovy Vary Filmfest

What is the story of your movie that you already presented in Cannes?

The film story portrys a disillusioned youth, that in their feelings of lonlyness enters a club.
All the protagonists are in search of something, but what they are searching for they aren’t even aware of. Because they aren’t reflective about it a lot of unlucky things happen to them. Because they don’t take their faith into their own hands, their faith gets determined.
I want to let the spectator decide by him or herself what he/she takes from it. Certainly there are numerous incidents. Like for example the general oversaturation or todays oversensual media exposure. Far to many images. This is not a specific German theme, that you want to tackle, it is one that relates to our time or at least to the european world!
I agree, my feeling is that in our „western world“ we are losing important values. I have to admit that as a youngster I was also effected by it. I felt suffocated by it. My interest in classical music protected me from this influences. However I did discover it though much later. The environment is so determening. There is for example MTV, many fashion
brands that one has to know and if you don’t make certain drug experiences you are out.

Did you also search fort he reason of it?

I didn’t want to give answers. I want the spectator to give themeslves to search for their own answers.

But for yourself did you discover any reasons?

Certainly, I did think a lot about it. One woman from Latvia once mentioned, how people had changed after the communism was over. Certainly I am personally happy that people are free, but obviously the capitalisme has certain consequences such as the increasing individualisation. I don’t think this is necessary right, we humans are social beings. When certain sozial structures disappear one is left to their own and we have “the modern syndrom of feeling lost.”

You are the first time at Karlovy Vary. With what kind of impressions you will leave the city?

What I really love and find attractive here that it is a festival for a patially really young audience. If there is a young audience that means the future for me. This is also the new generation of film makers or opinion creators.
I further have the feeling it is more democratic here. In Cannes for example just the film professionals can watch the movies. Although certainly Cannes is a very exciting event, but certainly also a lot of show.
The section east of the west that presents eastern films I don’t recall in Cannes specifically. The festival here is much more relaxed, even the encounters amongst film makers are more relaxed and honest.

Do you have a new subject that you would like to deal cinematically with?

I have a couple of projects, but I don’t want to talk about it. I am a bit superstitious about this. Certainly what I can definatly say is that I am interested in charecters that feel tournmented and are in search for their identy and can’t find a place where they feel home. I am myself a child of immigrant parents and certainly the place of home or belonging is a questions that will always reveberate in me.

What do you think of Europe and especially in regards to the former communist countries that are now part of the European Union?

I think the idea of a united europe is a very beautifull one. I think it is very important even though it might now be found immidiately but through side trackings. As a multiculteral being myself I certainly consider this an important issue. An Utopia would be for me a world without any kind of boarders, in which everybody could travel where they want to and no national but especially without economical barries. I certainly understand
that we in western europe would have to give up a part of standart of leaving that we are accustumed to.
I think if looking at Brazil for example, where people really don’t have much, but on the other hand so much love for life carrie within them, I think that material things are a side track.