Visible World

Colour, 35 mm
Slovak Republic, 2011, 104 min
WP – World premiere
Section: East of the West - Films in Competition

Synopsis

The film’s main character, Oliver, works as an air traffic controller at Bratislava airport. He is of Czech origin and, although he has worked in Slovakia for many years, he has not managed to blend in. He lives an anonymous life on a large housing estate from where he has a view onto the windows of the other tenants. Oliver’s attention is focused on a young family living opposite who use their balcony mainly at mealtimes. The parents with their two children embody the happiness which has eluded him. From his initial admiration, Oliver’s feelings turn to envy and a desire to appropriate their contented life for himself, even if it means breaking the law. Peter Krištúfek’s feature debut is dominated by the performance of Ivan Trojan in the leading role, who once again proves that his exceptional skills as an actor are not restricted merely to likeable characters. In addition to Trojan, Krištúfek’s subtle direction is supported by other first-rate performers and draws on depictions of the less familiar recesses of the Slovak capital.

About the director

Peter Krištúfek (b. 1973, Bratislava) studied film and television direction at the Academy of Performing Arts (VŠMU) in Bratislava. He wrote and directed a number of documentaries, some of which focused on popular figures (actor Milan Sládek, photographer Jan Saudek). His film Snapshots (Momentky), portraying the life and work of musician Dežo Ursiny, was screened at the Karlovy Vary festival two years ago in the section A Musical Odyssey. In 2004 he made the television feature Long Short Night (Dlhá krátka noc), a psychological drama about the emotional traumas of a young woman. Visible World is his feature debut for the big screen. Apart from filming, he has worked as a radio host and composer; he is also a successful writer. He has won several prizes for his literary works; in addition to short stories he has also written two novels.