All language subtitles for Adolf Zika.ENG

What is the film about?

I've called the film,
and I purposely say "film"

and not a documentary
- a somewhat truthful film -

"Jan Saudek - Trapped by
his passion, no hope for rescue",

and I called it somewhat truthful
for a very prosaic reason.

And that is I don't consider it
a classical documentary.

I'm not educated in film making
and I didn't want to follow

the classical documentary
filming methods,

I tried something new
so it would be entertaining

for TV viewers,
but mainly cinema viewers.

The term "somewhat truthful"
is a term I always liked

as it was used in lyrics
by one famous Czech artist.

The term says
we could have shown

the truth about Jan Saudek,
but also could stay far away from it.

The film is my view
of Jan Saudek's world.

And the way it was filmed follows
the pattern of the way he lives.

How would you
describe the film?

It is a film for a wide
range of audiences,

not for a few special interests.

My father's opinion
is proof of that.

He never fancied Jan Saudek

and he was not positive
about me shooting the film,

but after he saw the film,
he stood up and said he enjoyed it,

and that it had changed
his opinion of Jan Saudek.

For me, that means more
than any other possible award.

Are you satisfied with the film,
now that it is finished?

I would do it a bit differently
if I could film it again.

It is my nature
that I am never satisfied.

However, I am satisfied with what
we've chosen from 60 hours of film.

We could have made it
more controversial,

or with more mysterious appeal
for intellectual critics,

but instead,
we wanted it to be enjoyable

and understandable for common
people, and that's what we did.

But I can not say
I'm totally satisfied,

because I would do it a bit differently
if I could film it again.

But I like the way
we managed the editing.

Why Jan Saudek?
Was that planned?

I had been fascinated
by Jan Saudek

from the moment
I entered the world of photography.

The main reason was that I always
wanted to see longer films about him.

There were already
a few short films

and a very good
French documentary.

But all of them just short films
about 20 minutes long.

So I decided to produce
a full-length feature myself.

As I searched for a director,
I could not find one

because it's not easy
to find someone

who can stand being around Jan
for two or three months.

So I had to direct it myself.

Do you find Jan Saudek's
work impressive?

It is not his work
that impresses me.

Of course the photographs
fascinate me,

but I'm impressed by
Jan Saudek's entire life.

It's important to mention

that it is not only
Jan Saudek, or his work.

Together they become almost
something like a phenomenal circus.

What was the most difficult part
of this documentary?

The most difficult was when Jan
stopped communicating twice.

I didn't know how to reach him
and I became very stressed,

but Sara helped a lot. Some see her
as a negative figure in the film

but I don't agree.
She acts naturally and honestly.

The trouble was that
Jan would not answer phones

and I could only leave messages
with his assistants.

The next most difficult was
when I had to handle

all the executive
administrative duties

after doing the actual
shooting and production.

You are also the film's producer.

How do you feel about a producer's
position in the Czech Republic?

It is interesting that most journalists
have no interest in that.

I feel we accomplished
something highly interesting.

A film that cost a few Crowns

and is distributed
to a large number of cinemas

and we managed it with only
a small staff to work on it.

I was the executive producer, producer,
director, and screenplay writer,

but there were other very capable
members of the team.

Assistant directors,
cameramen, film editors, etc...

I think that is a good way

to shoot independent interesting
films in the Czech Republic -

not burdened by huge productions,
because we're not in Hollywood.