Vaterland A Hunting Logbook

Colour, 35 mm
Czech Republic, 2004, 94 min
Section: Czech Films 2004-2005
Oficiální stránky: www.vaterland.cz

Synopsis

Descendants of the noble Czadsky family return to their homeland years after being expelled by the former totalitarian regime. Brothers Richard and Vilém, their wives, and their cousins Max and Leo find the devoted major-domo Willmer still at their dilapidated family residence. He has been taking care of their ancestors’ memories and keepsakes and, especially, of their grandfather’s treasured diary. It contains instructions for hunting the mysterious beings inhabiting the local hills. After discovering some old-time hunting gear there is nothing to stop the men from taking Willmer’s son Karel and two local guides on an exciting hunt. But who is actually
hunting whom? “I wanted to shoot a film using a somewhat unusual image, that would relate my feelings about today’s conflicted times,” states director David Jařab about his mysteriously ambiguous debut film.

About the director

David Jařab (b. 1971) is best known in the theatre. The writing and direction of his feature film debut betray his experience with various cultural media, and his affinity for a surrealist view of the world. He graduated in theatre direction from Brno?s Janáček Theatre Academy (JAMU) in 1994. In 1993-98 he directed for HaDivadlo Theatre in Brno, where he was a collective management member and artistic director as well. Since 2002 he has been artistic director for Prague?s Comedy Theatre. He is the author or co-author of a number of theatre plays, which he has also generally directed. In 1989 he became a member of the A. I. V. surrealist circle in Brno, and since the mid-nineties he has been a member of the Czech and Slovak Surrealist Group. He has most often published in Analogon review. He is an artist as well, and he has written a cycle of contemporary plays entitled Sharpshooters. Since 1998 he has cooperated on the cycle Analogon Evenings, which he developed into a four-part series for Czech television.