Film Archive

Bird Atlas

Crystal Globe Competition 2021 / Atlas ptáků / Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovak Republic 2021

An ageing proprietor of a technology company (Miroslav Donutil) has dedicated his whole life to his work, so it comes as a big blow when things suddenly start to fall apart at the seams. Olmo Omerzu’s new film relies on persuasive character acting and his special brand of gentle irony to demonstrate that, in order to preserve our dignity, we occasionally need to lose face in the eyes of others.

Synopsis

While Olmo Omerzu trusted in the enchanting delivery of young non-pro actors in Winter Flies, the dense drama of Bird Atlas hinges on persuasive character acting. An ageing proprietor of a technology company (Miroslav Donutil) has dedicated his whole life to his work, so it comes as a big blow when he discovers that payments to suppliers have been held up for months. But what can he do when the firm’s accountant (Alena Mihulová) is nowhere to be seen? He can’t rely on anyone or anything; perhaps the truth lies only with the Greek chorus of birds chirping somewhere up in the trees… Through his special brand of gentle irony Omerzu demonstrates that, in order to preserve our dignity, we occasionally need to lose face in the eyes of others.

Martin Horyna

About the film

92 min / Color, DCP
World premiere
Director Olmo Omerzu / Screenplay Olmo Omerzu, Petr Pýcha / Dir. of Photography Lukáš Milota / Music Monika Omerzu Midriaková / Editor Jana Vlčková / Art Director Antonín Šilar / Producer Jiří Konečný / Production endorfilm / Coproduction Cvinger Film, Punkchart films, Česká televize / Cast Miroslav Donutil, Alena Mihulová, Martin Pechlát, Eliška Křenková, Vojtěch Kotek, Pavla Beretová / Sales Cercamon / Distributor CinemArt, a.s.

About the director

Olmo Omerzu (1984, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia-Slovenia). Selected filmography: A Night Too Young (2012, medium-length), Fortress (2013, short), Family Film (2016), Winter Flies (2018), Bird Atlas (2021).