Moravian Hellas (1964)
• January 1st, 1964 • 0h 33min
Documentary
Overview
Karel Vachek’s graduate film offers us a documentary essay which is both a light-hearted and aggressive little piece and also a parody of investigative film journalism. The Strážnice folk festival, backed by the cultural Party apparatus of the time, for years had little to commend itself to authentic folklore. In the film the event assumes the form of a bizarre stage spectacle with almost surrealistic elements that Vachek reinforces with unconventional approaches (commentary appearing as titles on screen, singing, declamations into the camera, feature etudes, the fusion of news coverage and fiction). The result is a stirring film collage depicting various characters, from crowd-pleasers, Easter egg decorators, kitsch artists and peddlers, to museologists and local residents, all of whom come up against the eccentric "identical” twin reporters Karel and Jan Saudek and a bored actress who appears as an extra. Using their special blend of irony and wit, they present us with the sad truth.
Make sure to check your pop-up blocker!!
Trailer
Similar Movies
Cordobés 65
Released on: 1965-01-01
Documentary
A brief portrait of famous and brave bullfighter Manuel Benítez el Corbobés; an account on still pho...
99 days
Released on: 2022-09-18
Documentary
Two instants separated by 99 days conflict with each other.
AquaBurn
Released on: 2003-01-01
Documentary
AquaBurn is an award-winning documentary film by director Bill Breithaupt showcasing "The Floating W...
Fairport Convention: Who Knows Where the Time Goes?
Released on: 2012-09-14
Documentary, Music
Documentary following English folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention as they celebrate their 45th an...
Drama in the Desert: The Sights and Sounds of Burning Man
Released on: 2002-12-03
Documentary
Drama in the Desert: The Sights and Sounds of Burning Man is a full-color book (which includes a DVD...
Dust Devils
Released on: 2003-05-01
Documentary
A beautifully done video of Burning Man 2001, 2002 & 2003. Lots of people interviews, Center Caf...
Bulgaria: Fire Dance Ritual
Released on: 2020-01-01
Documentary
Every year in June, the small Bulgarian village of Balgari celebrates St Constantine with a special...
Ode to liberty
Released on: 2025-01-22
Documentary
Short documentary consisting of archival footage and movies that depict the birth of the United Stat...
Bugman
Released on: 2024-05-09
Horror, Drama, Fantasy, Documentary
A misunderstood and isolated transgender teenager takes revenge upon his unaccepting parents. A powe...
The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan: Live at the Newport Folk Festival
Released on: 2007-12-07
Music, Documentary
An unvarnished chronicle of Bob Dylan's metamorphosis from folk to rock musician via appearances at ...
Wise Guys 2
Released on: 2024-06-07
Comedy, Documentary, Drama
After the release of his debut film, documentarian Richard Chase journeys down a rabbit hole to unco...
The Gordon Affair
Released on: 2021-12-07
Documentary, Drama
As a small liberal arts college on the North Shore, Gordon College has not been without its issues. ...
Taurophilia
Released on: 2022-08-08
Documentary
Through rhythmic re-composition of fragmented images, semi-surreal situations are explored in a docu...
Mayor of Lowell
Released on: 2025-03-21
Adventure, Documentary, History, War
This short documentary chronicles the culture and arts of Cambodian Americans and the Lowell, MA com...
As You Are
Released on: 2023-01-20
Documentary
A glimpse into a visual representation of memory; A Christmas-time series of meals, coffees, and mov...
Burlesque
Released on: 2025-05-15
Documentary
Student documentary exploring the world of burlesque as a space for artistic expression and personal...
África
Released on: 2023-07-27
Documentary
Africa, a trans woman dedicated to musical representation and comic entertainment on Facebook exhibi...