Family stories and memories of Japan. The Geisler sisters presented A Pint of Ink

Among the world premieres that stirred strong emotions at the 60th KVIFF was the personal documentary A Pint of Ink, directed by Ester Geislerová. It chronicles the life and death of her father, Petr Geisler, a Japanologist, translator, journalist, teacher and calligrapher.

The discussion began with a personal question from ab audience member, who asked Ester and her sister Aňa whether they felt any anger towards their father, whose life had been cut short by alcohol. “No. I mostly feel regret that he didn't have the strength or the resolve to fight for his life. I feel sad that he’s no longer here. It’s a miracle what he managed to achieve, even though he was unhappy,” said Aňa Geislerová.

The film began to take shape just two or three years after Petr Geisler’s death in January 2009. “I used to meet his friends and colleagues, and they told me such lovely stories that I regretted not having captured them on camera. Then I started looking through his photographs and that really inspired me. I began to picture scenes from the film in my head,” recalled Ester.

What began as a plan to organise an exhibition about her father and make a short film to accompany it eventually developed into a larger project, thanks in part to the involvement of Aňa, who also worked on the film as a producer. The long period over which the film was gradually made helped the director to gain some distance from the material. She also deliberately asked her respondents what annoyed them about her father. The result was therefore not a glowing tribute, but a record of a part of his life.

“What you see in the film isn’t a carefully crafted narrative. Our family loves being together. But we argue too. There are always difficulties, and that’s part of what makes it beautiful. Problems are facts, and the solution is life,” said Aňa. Apparently, all siblings share the same creative streak. “The biggest problem in our communication is our different perceptions of time,” remarked the well-known actress.

The debate also turned to Japan. “Dad loved Japan, but he hated it there. He dreamed of a Zen way of life, but when he got there, he found he was missing Czech bread. He was also too big. Once he got stuck in a bathtub and they had to pull him out. The Japanese couldn’t keep up with him. Whenever he went drinking with them, they were quickly under the table,” said Aňa. But she also recalled how the Japanese were amazed by his knowledge of the language.

Several family anecdotes were shared during the discussion, not only about the Geisler sisters’ father, but also about their grandfather and their grandmother, the actress Růžena Lysenková. “She was known amongst the actors as a very entertaining person. Jiřina Bohdalová has fond memories of her,” Aňa recalled. Some of the family stories also involved alcohol. “I have a positive attitude towards alcohol, but I look after myself. I don't like losing control or letting anything control me,” said Ester, summarising her approach to drinking.