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Recognition

Karel finally meets his father, who dies that same night – before providing any answers for his 20 years of absence.

synopsis

Karel has not heard from his father Ivan in 20 years, as the man left the country when Karel was just a teenager. Now, Karel’s sister Heda and his uncle Rudolf have decided to declare Ivan dead due to the mounting debt he left behind, putting the family at risk of losing their house. But the police have a shocking message for them: Ivan is alive and well in a small Italian town and wishes to make contact. So, Karel, Heda and Rudolf set off on a road trip to visit him. They meet and have an awkward dinner peppered with decades of pent-up frustration, many unanswered questions and Ivan’s erratic behaviour. The next morning, however, their reunion comes to an abrupt end when the family is informed that Ivan has been run over by a car. Their shock is compounded when they see how Ivan really lived – a homeless alcoholic relying on the kindness of strangers. Karel has to come to terms with his father’s past, questioning whether his curiously timed death was in fact suicide or even murder, while confronting him with his own future.

Director’statement

My father left when I was 13 – he never called, never returned. I first met him in a small Tuscan town in the spring of 2014 and that same night he died in a car accident. After identification of his body in the morgue, they showed us his dreadful caravan on the outskirts of the city. It was there that I saw the true depth of his misery and shame. I finally realized that I had to face my past, which is my integral part and crystallizes in every present moment. The film is loosely based on this strange encounter. Long shots, the weather and mood swings will be important elements in building a dense atmosphere. The movement inside the scenes and the entire film will not be guided by the frenetic movement of the camera, but will be based on the inner lives and clashes of the four characters. The story will raise universal questions: if we are tossed about by chance and the absurdity of life, do we choose who we become? What is the essence of our freedom? And how do we come to know ourselves and our place in the world?

TFL PROGRAMME:
ScriptLab 2020
Discover more details here:
Download
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TFL Catalogue 2020

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