Ruthless Magnetism: March 2009

TWO NEW IDOLS OF FILM DISCIPLINE

JAN ŠIKL

(a.k.a. The Slick Mistah Šikl!)

"Czechoslovakia's twentieth century is a history of constant assault on human identity. Whether we talk about both of the World Wars, and then the communist system—, there were many regime changes throughout the century. Even the communist era had different chapters, some harsher than others and people had to adjust to the reality of the time. I think that all of this history is typically viewed only through the lens of power-politics, and the individual histories of people get lost."

(Šikl, Radio Praha, June 13, 2006)

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As you may or may not know, my latest film (most likely my Senior Thesis at Syracuse) will be almost entirely comprised of a selection from hours and hours of archival footage of my family, magnificently shot by my great-grandmother in color 8-mm. The film will focus on my relationship with my father primarily, as well as discuss the unique disposition of him and his siblings (all five of whom have turned out either homosexual or bisexual). Obviously the personal nature of this type of project will make it very hard to produce.

Here in Prague, I recently had the opportunity to meet Czech filmmaker and FAMU alumni Jan Šikl after a screening of one of his works. My advisor (who is a filmmaker and fellow FAMU graduate from Bratislava, Slovakia) suggested I seek his advice about my own project because of his experience with archival footage. I am happy to say that he has agreed to meet to screen and discuss my footage, which I am absolutely ecstatic about.

Šikl is mainly an experimental documentarian, but recently, he has completed an eight-part series of individual films, each containing the private stories of various Czech families throughout the century. The work is entirely made from donated archival 9 1/2-mm (!) footage given by many willing families around the Czech Republic, entitled "Private Century: I-VIII."

The Individual films are:

KING OF VELICHOVKY

DADDY AND LILI MARLENE

STATUARY OF GRANDDAD VINDA

SEE YOU IN DENVER

A STROKE OF BUTTERFLY WINGS

WITH KISSES FROM YOUR LOVE

SMALL RUSSIAN CLOUDS OF SMOKE

A LOW-LEVEL FLIGHT

Each piece explores intimately the private lives + family lives of different members of Czech society throughout the 20th century, from the 1920's to about the late 70's, early 80's (the hayday of video). Šikl devoted himself to selecting and editing (with a dramaturgic eye) the unique footage of each donor family, in a way that both accurately retells their experiences textually and visually, and touches upon their inherent subtextual elements that form a commentary about Czech society through the ages and its relationship to the world and the constantly shifting political climate of our last century.

The only film I have seen of the series is the second episode, "Daddy and Lili Marlene" which is only one half of a family's story that is so rich, Šikl chose to stretch it over two episodes (the other being "King of Velichovky"). To save breath, for a summary of the episode, click here

"This series of films gives us the rare chance to enter and perhaps better understand particular moments in history—through the story of someone's intimate life. So the people are in the foreground, but it's always the case that events of 20th century Czechoslovak political history enter each and every one of these lives, quite often in a dramatic way, changing them forever."

(Šikl, Radio Praha, June 13, 2006)

This film in the series is remarkably powerful, painting the tenuous, closed-lip stoicism of a withering upper-class marriage and the dynamic home life of a well off German/Czech family. Seen from the artful perspective of their daughter, Eva, the narration meanders between dozens of affectionate memories expressing a cherished love now lost and longed for, and the more linear and historical progression of her personal experience. I am amazed at how acutely it psychologically details the dissolution of her parent's relationship and its affect on her life after their separation amidst the chaos of the 1940's and 50's in Europe...

I am inspired by Šikl's ability to condense and yet reinforce the universality of this story simply by controlling the editing and its accompanying sound and narration.

I hope that I can learn from him to apply a similar power of selection, in order to construct my own footage as its own commentary on both the epical nature of world politics, and the troubled evolution of civilized society and the human condition.

The entirety of these eight works are currently being screened in an exhibition at the MOMA in NYC, and have won numerous festival awards (click here to read more).

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