Moravian Hellas (1964)
Karel Vachek’s graduate film offers us a documentary essay which is both a light-hearted and aggressive little piece and also a parody of investigative film journalism. The Strážnice folk festival, backed by the cultural Party apparatus of the time, for years had little to commend itself to authentic folklore. In the film the event assumes the form of a bizarre stage spectacle with almost surrealistic elements that Vachek reinforces with unconventional approaches (commentary appearing as titles on screen, singing, declamations into the camera, feature etudes, the fusion of news coverage and fiction). The result is a stirring film collage depicting various characters, from crowd-pleasers, Easter egg decorators, kitsch artists and peddlers, to museologists and local residents, all of whom come up against the eccentric "identical” twin reporters Karel and Jan Saudek and a bored actress who appears as an extra. Using their special blend of irony and wit, they present us with the sad truth.
Cast
- Josef Lebánek
- Jan Saudek - Twin B
- Kája Saudek - Twin A
- Alena Skokanová
- Jožka Severin
Screenplay
- Karel Vachek (Screenplay)
- Karel Vachek (Story)
Keywords
folk festival, student film
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Moravian Hellas about?
- Karel Vachek’s graduate film offers us a documentary essay which is both a light-hearted and aggressive little piece and also a parody of investigative film journalism. The Strážnice folk festival, backed by the cultural Party apparatus of the time, for years had little to commend itself to authentic folklore. In the film the event assumes the form of a bizarre stage spectacle with almost surrealistic elements that Vachek reinforces with unconventional approaches (commentary appearing as titles on screen, singing, declamations into the camera, feature etudes, the fusion of news coverage and fiction). The result is a stirring film collage depicting various characters, from crowd-pleasers, Easter egg decorators, kitsch artists and peddlers, to museologists and local residents, all of whom come up against the eccentric "identical” twin reporters Karel and Jan Saudek and a bored actress who appears as an extra. Using their special blend of irony and wit, they present us with the sad truth.
- Who directed Moravian Hellas?
- Moravian Hellas was directed by Karel Vachek.
- Who stars in Moravian Hellas?
- Moravian Hellas stars Josef Lebánek, Jan Saudek, Kája Saudek, Alena Skokanová, Jožka Severin.
- How long is Moravian Hellas?
- Moravian Hellas has a runtime of 33m (33 minutes).
- What genre is Moravian Hellas?
- Moravian Hellas is a Documentary film.
- Where was Moravian Hellas produced?
- Moravian Hellas was produced in Czechoslovakia.