Tension
Max Varga runs a private firm which deals in damaging the reputation of individuals ordered by clients. However, during an operation, his assigned target vanishes. A desperate fight against time ensues, in which he can't afford to disappoint his client Lola Lieberman, at the same time getting caught up in a dispute with his collegue Tom Karloff. The film is about the moral downfall of a person who becomes consumed by th evil he himself created. It draws on conventions of film noir both thematically and stylishtically, but it's creative purpose were familiar visual elements of classical film noir (such as low-key lighting and dutch angles) with untraditional ones, for example the use of hand-held camera or electronic music.
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Michal StarýDirectorAplomb; Wundar Barbarian
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Michal StarýWriterAplomb; Wundar Barbarian
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Kristýna ŠlemínováProducer
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Lukáš KrálKey Cast"Max Varga"
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Tomáš DianiškaKey Cast"Tom Karloff"
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Jitka JežkováKey Cast"Lola Lieberman"
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Cyril DrozdaKey Cast"Boris Urban"
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Dana ČernáKey Cast"Stela Urban"
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Jan MaléřKey Cast"Goblin"
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Project Type:Short, Student
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Genres:Drama, Thriller, Mystery
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Runtime:25 minutes 32 seconds
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Completion Date:August 11, 2019
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Production Budget:9,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Czech Republic
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Country of Filming:Czech Republic
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Language:Czech
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:2.35:1
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Film Color:Black & White
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:Yes
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Noir Film FestivalKřivoklát
Czech Republic
August 24, 2019
Europe Premiere
Official Selection -
Cinema OpenHradec Králové
Czech Republic
November 30, 2019
Official Selection -
Motion For PicturesCary, NC
United States
February 5, 2020
Semi-Finalist -
Indie Short FestLos Angeles, CA
United States
April 4, 2020
Award Winner (Best Film Noir Short) -
SHORT to the PointBucharest
Romania
March 30, 2020
Semi-Finalist -
Southeast Regional Film FestivalJacksonville, FL
United States
June 1, 2020
Award Winner (TV/Short) -
Black Cat Picture ShowAugusta, Georgia
United States
August 21, 2020
Official Selection -
Yellow Fever Indie Film FestivalBangor
United Kingdom
August 28, 2020
Official Selection -
Threadbare Mitten Film FestivalLansing
United States
September 3, 2020
Official Selection -
Idaho Horror Film FestivalBoise
United States
October 8, 2020
Official Selection -
OUT OF THE CAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVALStonebroom
United Kingdom
October 24, 2020
Official Selection -
Izmir International Short Film FestivalAlsancak
Turkey
November 2, 2020
Official Selection -
Queen Palm International Film FestivalPalm Springs, CA
United States
February 12, 2021
Official Selection
Michal Starý studied directing at the Miroslav Ondříček Film Academy in Písek. In his films he focuses primarily on the inner worlds of his characters, which are directly reflected to the film world in which these characters are and where act. His long-term endeavor is build independent art on the basics of genre.