Czech Films 2012–2013 2013 / Šmejdi / Czech Republic 2013
A visit to a castle with a break for a nice lunch, or hours of presentations for useless products where participants are the target of manipulation and humiliation? This emotive documentary about product demonstrations narrated by actor Ondřej Vetchý elicited an unprecedented response from the Czech media and the public at large.
The product demonstration phenomenon is seen by the Czech public as a rather underhand way of making money and, indeed, of spending one’s free time. This emotive documentary captures the stories of several senior citizens who, despite the unfavourable financial climate, keep spending more and more money on overpriced, poor-quality products. The camera manages to gain access to the events themselves, which otherwise essentially remain off-limits to younger people. Even though it’s almost impossible to get behind the scenes to see what these firms are up to, the documentary offers a comprehensive view of the problem, which it examines from a legal, psychological and purely personal point of view. Crooks questions the legality of the retailers’ conduct and the reasons why people continually succumb to the hype. The critical tone of the film is further enhanced through its contrapuntal use of the score, where information on unsavoury gifts of salami is accompanied by strains of Smetana’s symphonic cycle My Country.
78 min / Color, DCP
Director Silvie Dymáková
/ Screenplay Silvie Dymáková
/ Dir. of Photography Silvie Dymáková, Martin Konečný, Erik Knajfl
/ Editor Silvie Dymáková, Tonička Janková
/ Producer Hana Třeštíková, Petr Morávek, Silvie Dymáková
/ Production DSi studio s.r.o.
/ Contact Produkce Třeštíková s.r.o., Aerofilms
/ Distributor Aerofilms
Silvie Dymáková (b. 1982, Hradec Králové, Czechoslovakia) is an experienced director of television documentaries and current affairs programmes. From 2006 she worked for Prima TV’s newsroom, filming hundreds of news reports, including travel programmes from Kenya, Morocco and Indonesia. She also worked on the show "Private Dramas,” and directed and edited the documentaries About Us (O nás, 2011) and Tour de Labe (2011). In 2008 she established the production company DSi studio, which turns out news and current affairs programmes. Her work overall reflects her interest in social issues.
Produkce Třeštíková s.r.o.
Kostelní 14, 170 00, Praha 7
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 603 581 674
E-mail: [email protected]
Aerofilms
Milady Horákové 383/79, 170 00, Praha 7
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 224 947 566
E-mail: [email protected]
Hanka Třeštíková
Producer
Silvie Dymáková
Film Director
Romana Mazalová
Screenwriter
Jan Noháč
Distributor
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