28th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival

24. 10.–2. 11. 2025
Log inČeštinaEnglish
Communism and the Net or The End of Representative Democracy
Communism and the Net or The End of Representative Democracy

Communism and the Net or The End of Representative Democracy

Karel Vachek / Czech Republic, Slovakia / 2019 / World Premiere / 335 min.


synopsis

The six-hour essay in four parts examines the history of regimes and revolutions, leaders and martyrs, from a philosophical perspective. The collage of personal memories, staged scenes and archives of collective memory compares the Prague Spring to the Velvet Revolution and shows the exposure, conflict, crisis, and catharsis of the post-communist society. Democracy can be saved through creative laughter, dissolving the untouchability and hypertrophic egos of the representatives of state institutions. The Internet frees the society from representatives of the non-functional connecting link that prevents direct communication between citizens and institutions of power.

“I can see you until I spot you. Once I spot you, I cannot see you anymore.” K. Vachek

biography

Karel Vachek (1940) creates multi-layered philosophical and social essays. In 2004, he published the book The Theory of Matter. Films: Moravian Hellas, 1963, Elective Affinities, 1968, New Hyperion or Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood, 1992, What Is to Be Done? (A Journey from Prague to Český Krumlov, or How I Formed a New Government, 1996, Bohemia Docta or The Labyrinth of the World and the Lust-house of the Heart A Divine Comedy, 2000, Who Will Watch the Watchman? Dalibor, or the Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin, 2002, Obscurantist and His Lineage or The Pyramids’ Tearful Valleys, 2011.

more about film

director: Karel Vachek
producer: Mikuláš Novotný, Radim Procházka, Robert Kirchhoff
script: Karel Vachek
photography: Karel Slach
editing: Renata Pařezová, Helena Papírníková
sound: Dušan Kozák
co-producer: Robert Kirchhoff, Vít Komrzý

contact

BACKGROUND FILMS
Mikuláš Novotný
Korunní 1209/76
Prague / Czech Republic
+420 777910290 / novotny@backgroundfilms.cz

 

ATELIER.DOC
Robert Kirchhoff
Galandova 5
Bratislava 1 / Slovakia
+421 904 610 694 / office@atelierdoc.sk

 

koproducenti:
ČESKÁ TELEVIZE
UNIVERSAL PRODUCTION PARTNERS (UPP)



Tento film vznikl za podpory Státního fondu kinematografie a Audiovizuálného fondu.

Film at festival

premiere type:World Premiere
festival edition:2019
section:Special Event
language:Czech
subtitles:English
colour:Colour and B&W

Info

director:Karel Vachek
original title:Komunismus a síť aneb Konec zastupitelské demokracie
country:Czech Republic, Slovakia
year:2019
running time:335 min.

Festival partners

Ministerstvo kultury
Fond kinematografie
Město Jihlava
Kraj Vysočina
Creative Europe Media
GEMO
Česká televize
Český rozhlas
Aktuálně.cz
Respekt
Dafilms

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