Archive of films Story of Mr. Love / Otázky pana Lásky

Czech Republic
2013, 77 min

Section: Documentary Films - Out of Competition
Year: 2013

Blessed with a surprising number of humorous situations, Dagmar Smržová’s documentary is a touching and, above all, highly inspiring portrait of an energetic and ever-optimistic 30-year-old schizophrenic named Jiří Láska who is far from the usual apathetic patient of the psych ward.

Synopsis

At the beginning of the film, 30-year-old schizophrenic Jiří Láska asks his grandmother, "My soul is sick, Grandma, what should I do?” The two of them share a small house in the village of Batňovice near Trutnov because both Jiří’s parents are schizophrenics, and his grandmother serves as his caretaker, advisor, and the main star of the news reports he regularly uploads on his website. The energetic central character, however, doesn’t confine himself to home videos; he’s also an enthusiastic ham radio operator, cyclist, and an original observer of his innermost feelings – as well as of his neighbors’ warped relationships. His disarming directness, objectivity, and one-of-a-kind sense of humor allow him to reflect upon the course of his illness with enviable optimism while he goes about helping those closest to him. Dagmar Smržová’s documentary is a touching and inspiring portrait of a young man who is far from the usual apathetic patient of the psych ward.

About the director

Dagmar Smržová (b. 1966, Prague) graduated in documentary filmmaking from Prague’s Film Academy (FAMU) in 1992. Her graduation film Time for Someone, relating the story of a young person’s struggle with a serious illness, sparked initial interest in the director. Her key topics are reflected in documentaries presented on Czech Television: for the series "Eye – A Look at Today’s World” (produced by Febio) she created a brutal report about minors who kill their parents. For the "Up Close” series (produced by Czech TV) she shot an hour-long portrait of a male prison choir. For the "Ego” series (produced by MGB) she directed a portrait of a young Romany couple who grew up in an orphanage. Other films for Czech TV include two documentaries: War in the Memory of Women (2004) and The Hardest of Choices (2010). Her feature-length doc Saving Edwards, produced by HBO Europe, appeared in the fall of 2010.

Contacts

endorfilm
Přímětická 4, 140 00, Praha 4
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 241 730 780
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.endorfilm.cz

CinemArt, a.s.
Národní 60/28, 111 21, Praha 1
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 949 110
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.cinemart.cz

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About the film

Color, DCP
International premiere

Section:	Documentary Films - Out of Competition

Director:	Dagmar Smržová
Screenplay:	Dagmar Smržová
Dir. of Photography:	Petr Koblovský, Miroslav Janek
Music:	Stefan Kostadinov Valdobrev, Petr Fiala
Editor:	Krasimira Velitchkova
Producer:	Jiří Konečný
Production:	endorfilm
Contact:	endorfilm, CinemArt, a.s.
Distributor:	CinemArt, a.s.

Guests

Jiří Konečný

Producer