International premiere

Occupation

Local title
Okupatsioon
Title in Russian
Оккупация
Original title
Okupace
Director
Michal Nohejl
Country
Czech Republic
Year
2021
Programme
First Feature Competition
Genre
comedy, psychological drama
Subject
history, humour, politics, theatre, satire

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

Director
Michal Nohejl
Screenwriter
Vojtech Masek, Michal Nohejl, Marek Sindelka
Cast
Aleksey Gorbunov, Martin Pechlát, Tomás Jerábek, Antonie Formanová, Vlastimil Venclík
Producer
Jan Hlavsa, Julie Zackova
DoP
Jan Baset Stritezsky
Editor
Petr Turyna
Music
Kill the Dandies, Hank J. Manchini, La Petite Sonja
Production
Unit+Sofa
Runtime
Language
Czech, Russian
Subtitles
Estonian, English
Director
Michal Nohejl

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

Screenings

6th Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening070402 / Okupatsioon
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
2nd Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening070202 / Okupatsioon
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Q&A guestsMichal Nohejl - Director, Jan Hlavsa - Producer, Robert Zapletal - Producer, Antonie Formanova - Actress, Julie Zackova - Producer, Pavel Neskudla - Actor, Jirina Krohnova - Musician, Jindrich Hoch - Musician
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Hall Athena Center, Tartu
Screening092102 / Okupatsioon
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
7th Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening100503 / Okupatsioon
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration