Czech mumblecore filmmaker Bohdan Karásek, joined by lead actors Marie Švestková and Jiří Havelka, discussed his latest film, Everything As It Should Be, which had its world premiere at the 60th KVIFF. The film tells the story of a reunion between a former husband and wife.
The first question concerned the casting because Karásek cast his wife in the lead role. “There was no rational reasoning behind it. Both actors simply seemed very natural to me,” he explained. “It was a completely normal experience, just as if anyone else had been directing me. A leading role in a film requires a certain kind of production capital, which I don’t have. I’m not a well-known face. The work was very professional,” added Švestková. The word “professional” then became something of a running joke during the discussion.
“We did a lot of rehearsals at the director’s home. I became part of the household. My personal and professional lives blended together rather nicely,” said Havelka. Švestková also adapted her performance on the basis of the rehearsals and the script. She values her character for her sincerity and her ability to deal honestly with her own inner struggles. “Bohdan asked me to keep my acting simple, without any method or coach,” she added.
The film is set in Liberec. It was the filmmakers’ second choice – and an obvious one – after they had considered Beroun. Liberec suited them visually, although the director remarked that, looking at the final result, he would have liked the city’s backdrop to feature even more prominently in the film.
Writing the screenplay was not a spontaneous process: Karásek spent around two years on it, and preparations began in autumn 2022. In Everything As It Should Be, a debate over toilet paper orientation plays an important role – should the toilet paper hang in front of (over) or behind (under) the roll when it is placed parallel to the wall. Following a suggestion from the audience at the Pupp Cinema, an impromptu vote was held on this crucial issue. The “over” orientation won by a landslide.
The question was also raised as to whether Jiří Havelka, as a director himself, had felt the urge to give Karásek any advice. “I just say whatever comes to mind. We’re working on the project together. But never in the sense of stepping outside my role. I could see that it was a thoroughly professional production. I enjoyed the fact that I couldn’t picture the outcome. Bohdan opened my eyes to a side of cinema I didn’t know much about – for example, the film My Dinner with Andre,” said the artistic director of Dejvice Theatre.
