Pictures of the Old World

A captivating portrait of the vanishing world of mountain villages and people who seemingly exist as if suspended outside of time, oblivious to the shifting tides of political change. “They are rooted in their land. Uprooted, they would perish”, reads the motto of Dušan Hanák’s most recognized film.

To gain access to his subjects, the Slovak director followed in the footsteps of Martin Martinček, a photographer who travelled to villages situated high in the Tatra Mountains. Hanák gives voice to their inhabitants – a peasant who lost the feel in his legs or a man dreaming of space travel. He asks them about the meaning of life and, in intimate close-ups, focuses on their faces – furrowed, but fierce and vibrant. This tribute to the wisdom of the past generations, simplicity, and strength is juxtaposed with images of urban scenes featuring “the new man” – uprooted, mobile, and easily influenced.

The seemingly apolitical Images of the Old World angered the Czechoslovak authorities – as a result, the film was shelved for several years.

Mariusz Mikliński

???