The Pied Piper

Colour, 35 mm
Czech Republic, 2003, 70 min
Section: Czech Films

Synopsis

This stylised interpretation of the classic Pied Piper legend takes place in the mysterious streets of old Prague on New Year’s Eve. The Devil has charged the man with the magic pipe to destroy the sinful city at midnight. The Pied Piper, gifted also with the ability to lead people to purification, meets the pregnant Agnes and her bridegroom Kristián, as they go from church to church in an open cabriolet, begging without success to be married. Until now the Pied Piper had not known love, and his meeting with Agnes is like a bolt from the blue. Kristián calls out in vain for his beloved, in vain does the Devil set traps for them. During the night a fateful love is born which must be redeemed. Everyone loses something, everyone must forfeit something… Director Brabec took inspiration from Viktor Dyk’s novel of the same name, and also from the music in Daniel Landa’s successful musical (which is also used the film). But above all he relied on the jubilant atmosphere of a contemporary Prague New Year’s Eve. The Pied Piper was shot in a mere 24 hours (New Year’s Eve 2002 to New Year’s Day 2003) and thus deserved a place in The Guinness Book of Records.

About the director

F. A. Brabec (1954, Prague) is a graduate of Prague’s Film Academy (FAMU, 1975-81). He worked for ten years at Barrandov Studios, gradually working his way up to independent cameraman. He made his debut as independent cameraman with Time of the Servants (1989). His work with director Jan Svěrák was especially important: Elementary School (1992), Accumulator 1 (1994) and The Ride (1994 – Czech Lion for Best Camera Work). He made his debut as a director with a transcription of Alfred Jarry’s Ubu roi (Czech Lions for Best Camera, Visual Concept and Music). He won more Czech Lions for his unconventional adaptation of Erben’s collection of poetry Wild Flowers (himself for camera, others for music, sound and poster). He returned to the stylised interpretation of a classic text with his experimental Rat Catcher, which was filmed in twenty-four hours during New Year’s Eve 2002 and New Year’s Day 2003 in the historic centre of Prague. As well as feature films he has made a number of commercials and music videos ("Ave Maria" for Lucie Bílá, for example, won a Czech Grammy Award in 1996). The criminal film Bolero is his latest film.