Matej Mináč received a standing ovation at the world premiere of his new document Through the Eyes of the Photographer, depicting the life of his mother Zuzana, who has been working with the Karlovy Vary IFF for many years. “This is a very fresh film, finished only two days ago, so I hope Mr Och does not kill me when he sees it“, noted the director, referring to the fact that the Festival Art director had included the film into the program without having seen it.
In the view of her son, Zuzana Mináčová’s life reflects the history of the 20th century. The film shows how she coped with the totalitarian communist regime and also reveals her agonising trauma from WWII in the end of the film. For years, she had kept it secret even from her younger son. “I always wondered why my mother never slept at night. Once I found out the reason, I understood how the stories from long ago had led to me being born in the first place” explained the director.
Thanks to the film, Zuzana Mináčová had an opportunity to look through her extensive photography archive. “She commenced to take photographs at the age of fifteen. Actually, had she commenced earlier, we would not have been forced to use actors to shoot the war scenes and the film would have been much cheaper“, added the director, joking. Mináč remembered also the late Nicholas Winton at the premiere, who was the subject of his film Nicky’s Family, the winner of the 2011 KVIFF Audience Award. “He was extremely stubborn. Just like my mother“.
Film screening:
10. 7. 10.00 Husovka
