Archive of films Dreamers / Zoufalci
Czech Republic
2009, 97 min
Section:
East of the West - Competition
Year: 2010
Now in their thirties, the film’s six protagonists, who left northern Bohemia for Prague after graduating from high school, are taking stock of their lives. Is it too soon for a change? Or perhaps it’s too late because it’s hard to jump off a moving train. Jitka Rudolfová’s debut is a generational statement that perceives the relationship problems of today’s 30-somethings with understanding and ironic detachment.
Synopsis
Dagmara has two kids and a husband whose pedantic opinions and bullying are becoming unbearable. Sociologist Linda is trying to work out a relationship with an unfaithful lover. Secretary Sylvie seeks escape from loneliness in alcohol and noncommittal sex. After living together for seven years, gay couple Tonda and Otakar try in vain to find new relationships. And Radim, an eternal student, torments his girlfriend with jealousy. These six protagonists left their northern Bohemian hometown of Jablonec nad Nisou for Prague after graduating from high school. Now in their thirties, they are taking stock of their lives. Is it too soon for a change? Or perhaps it’s too late because it’s hard to jump off a moving train. Can the protagonists find new meaning in their lives by living together on an idyllic country farm? "I wanted to know why people do certain abysmal things in life – and why they’re unable to fight against it hard enough at the time. Only in retrospect do they realize how ridiculous and trying it all is,” remarks the director, who perceives the title of her generational statement with the irony, characteristic of the movies of Věra Chytilová, her teacher at Prague’s Film Academy (FAMU).
About the director
Jitka Rudolfová (b. 1979, Jablonec nad Nisou, CR) first studied filmmaking at film school in Písek, then went on to study direction under Věra Chytilová at Prague’s Film Academy (FAMU). Thanks to Negativ Productions she was able to develop a graduation project into her feature debut, the bittersweet comedy Dreamers (2009). From the beginning of school, her films received a variety of awards (Meat on a Plate, 2004; Lucie Is Already in Bed, 2005; The Holiest, 2005; Marta and Berta 26, 2006), and during her studies she also had an opportunity to participate in the production of older colleagues’ films (Věra Chytilová’s Pleasant Moments, Bohdan Sláma’s The Country Teacher, and Michaela Pavlátová’s Night Owls).
Contacts
Negativ
Ostrovní 30, 110 00, Praha 1
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 777 697 543, +420 224 933 755
Fax: +420 224 933 472
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.negativ.cz
Aerofilms
Milady Horákové 383/79, 170 00, Praha 7
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 947 566
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.aerofilms.cz
About the film
Color, 35 mm
International premiere
Section: | East of the West - Competition |
---|---|
Director: | Jitka Rudolfová |
Screenplay: | Jitka Rudolfová |
Dir. of Photography: | Michael Kaboš |
Music: | Nůž |
Editor: | Otakar Šenovský |
Producer: | Marta Dudáková, Kateřina Černá, Petr Oukropec |
Production: | Negativ s.r.o. |
Cast: | Simona Babčáková, Jakub Žáček, Zuzana Onufráková, Václav Neužil, Pavlína Štorková, Michal Kern, Jaroslav Plesl |
Contact: | Negativ, Aerofilms |
Distributor: | Aerofilms |
www: | www.zoufalcifilm.cz |
Guests
Petr Oukropec
Film Director, Producer
Zuzana Pudilová
Distributor
Zuzana Bielikova
Film Institution Rep., PR & Marketing
Jitka Rudolfová
Film Director, Film Director
Martina Chvojka Reková
PR & Marketing
Kateřina Černá
Producer
Marta Kuchynková
Producer
Richard Müller
Film Crew, Sound Designer
Otakar Šenovský
Film Editor
Václav Neužil
Actor
Lenka Neužilová
Film Crew
Jitka Procházková
Festival Organizer, TV Representative
Ivo Andrle
Distributor
Michael Kaboš
Director of Photography