Attila Mokos

“A burned-out group of Brno intellectuals decides to go to Kolochava in Ukraine to perform ‘A Ballad for a Bandit’ there.” With these words, the author's collective presents their film, in which they use primarily documentary imagery to compose a lyrical grotesque about an epochal trip, which might be their goal. But it doesn't have to be. The main tool of expression here is the film’s edit, which places various shots, statements, and meanings next to each other, often in a sort of productive conflict. Just like in a poem, the “poetic function” of art and its ability to serve as the primary tool for expressing beauty is manifested in full force before our very eyes.

Eight chapters on the disaster that ensues after a simple man signs a blank piece of paper when handed a pen.

It's spring 1939. The bishop in Banska Bystrica finds out that in the village of Piargy, that was buried by an avalanche a few days ago, the Antichrist was born. The bishop calls on priest Balaz and asks him to investigate the statements of Johanka, the only survivor of the catastrophe. Balaz wants to know what exactly happened in Piargy.

미국에서 연애를 했던 남자를 찾아 부다페스트로 온 여자가 있다. 신경외과 전문의로 학회에서 만난 헝가리 남자 의사와 사랑에 빠진 뒤 다시 만날 약속을 한다. 부다페스트의 어느 다리에서 오후 5시에 만나자는 약속. 로맨틱한 환상을 갖고 그 장소를 찾아가지만 남자는 나타나지 않는다. 여자는 남자의 병원까지 찾아가지만 막상 만난 남자는 여자를 모른 척한다. 나는 정말 이 남자를 사랑한 적이 있는가? 정신과 상담까지 받으면서 여자는 남자 주변을 맴돈다. 둘의 관계는 이제 새롭게 시작된다.

80세의 통역사 알리 웅가는 자신의 부모님을 죽인 나치 전범의 집을 찾아간다. 하지만 그는 이미 세상을 떠났고, 그의 아들 게오르크가 살고 있었다. 아버지가 저지른 만행을 외면하기만 했던 게오르크는 아버지의 흔적을 찾겠다며 웅가에게 통역사로서 동행하자고 제안한다. 정반대의 성격을 가진 두 사람이 함께 여행을 떠나고, 그 길에서 만난 전쟁을 겪었던 당사자와 그들의 자식들에 의해 참혹했던 당시의 참상이 드러나는데...

1983년, 체코슬로바키아 작은 마을의 초등학교에 마리아 드라즈데초바라는 여교사가 한 학급의 담임으로 부임한다. 학교 공산당 대표당원인 교사 마리아는 첫날부터 학생들에게 부모의 직업을 조사한 후 가사노동에서 연애까지 개인적인 일로 착취를 일삼기 시작한다. 이를 거부하는 부모의 학생에게는 최저점의 성적과 인신공격이 기다리고 있을 뿐이다. 결국 한 소녀가 자살을 시도하게 되고 분노한 학부모들이 긴급 회의를 소집하여 탄원서를 제출하자는 의견이 나오지만, 혜택을 본 아이들의 부모들은 소극적이다. 또 이후에 받을 불이익에 대한 두려움으로 서명하기를 주저하는데, 과연 탄원서는 접수 될 수 있을까? 막강한 권력에 맞선 작은 외침이 변화를 일으킬 수 있을까?

“하겐, 여기 있어..! 꼭 데리러 올게” 순종이 아닌 잡종견에게는 무거운 세금을 부과하는 헝가리의 정책으로 인해 하루아침에 집에서 쫓겨나게 된 개 ‘하겐’과 그를 찾아 헤매며 방황하는 13살 소녀 ‘릴리’. 인간의 손에 이용당하고 학대당하던 ‘하겐’은 생존을 위해 인간을 적대시 하게 되고 결국 유기견들의 우두머리가 되어 인간들에게 역습을 가한다. 도시 전체를 점령한 개떼들과 그를 통솔하는 ‘하겐’은 마침내 ‘릴리’와 다시 마주하게 되는데...

Slovakia's entry for the 87th Academy awards.

This story actually happened in the region around the city of Sumperk in Jeseniky Mountains in May 1945. The disappearance of Agnes, the German wife of a Czech forester Jan Olsan is a dark mystery. She is the only one who knows who and for what reason is looking for her. It's the end of the war, times are bad and the Czechs are coming back from the inland to the frontier. The guards are forming and soldiers are coming. Fate brings together the outlaw Jan and his German brother-in-law Jurgen who has just returned from the eastern front line. Both men are looking for exactly the same woman and that is Agnes. But Agnes escaped; she is running away through the deep woods followed by the most powerful man of the county. Running away for what she had witnessed. The fatality of the relationship between Agnes and Jan can only be learned in the mountains on this thorny journey.

For 14-year-old Adam, the world of his poor Romany village has only two joys: boxing and Julka, a friend his same age. But after the violent death of his father, the boy experiences life’s harsher side: his mother remarries and his stepfather demands obedience without seeking to deserve Adam’s respect. Gradually everything the boy was attached to starts to fall apart around him, and if his dead father hadn’t visited him he wouldn’t even know which path to take. The inexperience of youth, loneliness, and impulsiveness prevent him from using reason and cool consideration to face the obstacles in his way, and he even sometimes provokes those who stand by him. And thus he finds himself in a situation for which there is only one solution.

Slovakia, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. The family of the young Jewish Martin Friedmann gathers to celebrate his bar mitzvah and make a solemn promise that they will all meet again a year later around the same table; but the storms of war and anti-Semitic fanaticism will lead each of them down very different paths.

Set against the majestic mountains of central Slovakia, first time director Vladimir Balko explores the difficulties and challenges one former inmate must face upon his release from prison. Tono has just been released after a five-year stint in prison for lumber theft. Although attempting to stay on the straight and narrow, Tono is faced with many obstacles including building a relationship with his son, saving his now fragile marriage, and avoiding the tempting lure of his previous life of crime. A story of friendship and betrayal, SOUL AT PEACE was an official selection at the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Three women, three stories, one film.