Obrazy starého sveta

In 1972, Dusan Hanak made OBRAZY STARÉHO SVETA, a portrait of a farming community in the barren Carpathian Mountains. Hanak wanted to show the physical and moral strength of these 'primitive people', who hardly ever came into contact with modern achievements. The result is a lyrical film, singing the praises of traditional life. In Hanak's words: "The film is about our grandparents' moral strength and inner beauty, as well as their values, which in modern time are so often lacking. [...] I was fascinated to see that they succeeded in preserving a certain kind of archetype, an ancient form of humanity, a mentality that is slowly disappearing from our civilised world." The Czech authorities considered the film a reactionary pamphlet and consequently put it under lock and key. In 1988, the film was shown for the first time in Czechoslovakia, before being noticed in the West.