30-06-2011

FNE at KVIFF East of the West Competition: Nothing Against Nothing

By Irena Zemanová

    Nothing Against Nothing directed by Petr Marek makes its world premiere in the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival East of the West competition.

    Marek, one of the most distinctive Czech experimental filmmakers and musicians, made a satirical movie with a touch of psychological drama genre as an ironic reflection that questions how prepared we should be to help each other. Along the way he considers such topics as xenophobia, morality, tolerance, indifference and fear with originality and artistry, employing a hand-held camera and improvisation techniques.

    Producers and documentarists Vít Klusák and Filip Remunda coproduced Marek´s movie through their independent production company Hypermarket Film s. r. o. (www.hypermarketfilm.cz) with coproducer and distributor Artcam Film Distribution (www.artcam.cz).

    The 36-year-old Marek previously worked with Klusák and Remunda on their awarded full- length documentary Czech Peace, composing the soundtrack.

    Both poetic and ironic, Nothing Against Nothing is story of a married couple who consider adoption. In order to weigh the possible risks, they gatecrash a meeting of their contemporaries who grew up in adoptive families and contacted each other via internet chat rooms. Marek, who is also involved in publishing and teaches at FAMU film academy, shot his movie as a sophisticated honour to the grimly authentic style of the Dogme 95 Manifesto.

    Young Czech actors Johana Švarcová, Marta Pilařová and Marian Moštík play the main characters, in a cast that also includes Zdeněk Hudeček and Jiří Najvert.

    "It´s definitely one of the most original movies I have ever seen in this section, full of ideas, questions and also poetic and satiric references," said Karel Och, new artistic director of Karlovy Vary film festival.

    Mareček has directed some thirty shorts and seven feature-length films with the production company Unarfilm (www.unarfilm.cz). Sooner than... (1997) is part of the NFA's Czech Experimental Film collection. Working with Vít Janeček, he filmed a TV documentary about the Karlovy Vary festival, In the Centre of Film (In the Warmth of Home), and worked as assistant cameraman on Late Night Talks with Mother (2001-02, dir. Jan Němec). His feature film directing debut was the poetic comedy Love from Above (2002) followed by the "realistic mystery" Not of Today (2005). He also works as an actor and found fame as a member of the acclaimed band Midi Lidi (winner of the Czech Lion for their music for Protector and Czech Film Critics' Award for the soundtrack for the documentary Czech Peace).

    Contacts:

    Film Distribution Artcam
    Rašínovo nábřeží 6
    128 00 Praha 2
    Česká republika
    Tel: +420 221 411 666
    Fax: +420 221 411 699
    E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Hypermarket Film s.r.o.
    Kubelikova 27
    130 00 Praha 3
    Česká republika
    Tel: +420 222 937 341
    Fax: +420 226 201 915
    E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.