International premiere
Occupation
In the sixth grade, Michal Nohejl decided to become a film director. Yet, he made his first full-length film at the age of 45. That’s not to say that his dream has only just come true. For many years, he has been an acclaimed and much sought-after maker of audio-visual short format works, commercials. For his first feature film, the director chose a very difficult and complex genre – comedy.
After the premiere, the theatre group gathers in a bar to celebrate. However, the cheerful gathering is interrupted by a drunken Soviet officer. He insists on selling a can of petrol. However, when he senses the awkwardness, the hidden hatred, the cowardice, the timidity of the people there, he begins to enjoy the situation with his intrusiveness. When he takes his pistol out of its holster, things start to get crazy. The people in the bar suddenly become “freedom fighters” against the Russian occupation.
It’s probably the director’s extensive experience in making commercials that has helped him to create very precise mise-en-scènes during the two weeks of shooting. After the film’s screening in its home country, reviews said that the author had captured something characteristic of the Czechs. This is not the case. All the nationalities that lived under the Soviet regime can relate to the film.
Mihkel Möölman
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Pärast Zlini filmikooli lõpetamist astus Michal Nohejl kuulsasse FAMU kooli, kus asus õppima filmi Vera Chytilova käe all. Tema lõputöö „Fobie“ valiti Noore Euroopa Filmi Panoraam sektsiooni Febiofestil 2007. Filmist sai hiljem üks osa täispikast kolmeosalisest filmist. Aastast 2006 on ta töötanud reklaamfilmide lavastajana. Temast on saanud kodumaal üks tunnustatumaid muusikavideote tegijaid, kelle videod kodumaistele bändidele on pälvinud tähelepanu nii kodu- kui ka välismaal. „Okupatsioon“ on Nohejli esimene täispikk mängufilm.
Best Film Award, grant of 5000 euros from National Geographic