The Family

How can you create a stable life for your family if your own father, mother and brother all struggle with mental disability? Nevertheless, Matej is determined that his children will have it better than he did. Still a teenager himself, Matej decides to start a family of his own as soon as he gets the chance. But just when that ideal seems to be coming within reach, life gets in the way. The Family follows Matej in cinema verité style over the course of a decade, as he grows from a teenager into a young adult. Both mundane and emotionally complex situations are captured up close and personal. Through these scenes, we witness the tragic story of Matej, his family and the society in which he lives. The scene in which Matej holds his baby daughter as the camera swings around to the young mother, capturing a picture of her with another guy in the background, speaks volumes. A compassionate portrait of a brave young man trying to make the best of things, even though he hardly knows how.