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director Jan Cvitkovic
screenplay Jan Cvitkovic
country Slovenia/Kroata
year 2005
duration 103 minutes
media 35mm
color Color
language OmeU
producer Jan Cvitkovic, Janez Burger
production "Staragara Majaronova 16 SI-1000 Ljubiljana Slowenien +386 1 421 00 24 info@staragara.com"
cinematography Simon Tan?ek
editor Milo? Kalusek
music Also Ivancic
"In rural Slovenia, Pero (Gregor Bakovic) is a sensitive intelligent man in his mid-thirties who lives close to death. He works writing and giving the speeches of the town?s funerals. These are not mere eulogies for the deceased, since Pero consciously or unconsciously entwines his own perception of the course of events and his life philosophy into them.
Pero lives with his father, Dedo, and his two sisters Ida, who is deaf and dumb, and Vilma who has a son. Pero?s neighbour, Shooki , is also his best friend and a very close member to Pero?s family. Gravehopping is a film about the ups and downs of our protagonists' destinies and about their search for warmth and love in the absurd chaos that is life.
The story of the film and its essence establishes itself through the prism of their interpersonal relationships. While Ida (Pero?s younger sister) falls for Shooki, Vilma tries to cope with a no-good husband. Meanwhile Pero seeks to win the heart of local girl Renata, whereas the solitude and sadness Dedo feels since he widowed are the cause of his frequent by but farcically inept, suicide attempts. The film focuses on the basic force of human existence; Fear. Out of fear from death stems the craving for eternity, while out of fear from life stems the desire for security, warmth and love.
Love is the only drug powerful enough to overcome death. The story of the film and its essence establishes itself through the prism of the interpersonal relationships of this small community. Although the film sets off with a comical tone it leads up to a tragic finale that leaves both Pero, and the viewer, literally speechless.
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biography
"Born in 1966, Slovenia, Jan studied archaeology, receiving his degree in 1999.
Since 1998 he has written the screenplays for shorts, feature films and TV series. His first written work was for the award winning short ?Robbery of the Century? (Rop stoletja) . Thereafter, Jan played the leading role as well as co-writing with director Janez Burger the award-winning film Idle Running (V leru) in 1999.
His 2001 first feature film debut Bread and Milk ( Kruh in Mleko ) won the Golden Lion of the Future Best First Film at Venice Film Festival . "
