Ein Kammerspiel über Liebe, Untreue, menschliches Versagen und Selbstfindung. Die Pianistin Eva willigt ein, mit ihrem Mann, dem Komponisten Peter, von der Stadt in ein kleines Dorf nahe der slowakisch-ungarischen Grenze zu ziehen. In der neuen Umgebung findet Peter die nötige Ruhe für seine Arbeit. Eva dagegen, fern ihrer Familie und Prager Freunde, fühlt sich entwurzelt und sucht vergeblich Arbeit als Pianistin. Lösen Resignation und blosses Annehmen des andern die tiefe Liebe ab, die sie einst füreinander empfanden? Der bisher im Animationsfilm erfolgreichen Filmemacherin Michaela Pavlátová ist ein überaus stimmiger Spielfilmerstling gelungen, ein Film mit fein abgestuften Schattierungen, in dem die Musik eine Hauptrolle spielt. Ausgezeichnet beim Filmfestival San Sebastián 2003.

>> English

A chamber piece about love, unfaithfulness, human failings and finding one's self. Eva, a pianist, has followed her Slovak husband, Peter, a composer as well as musician, to a small village near the Slovak-Hungarian border. Peter finds the environment peaceful for his composing. Eva, on the other hand, has a difficult time finding work as a performer and feels rootless - far from her family and friends in Prague. Is the deep love they once felt for each other hardening into resigned acceptance of one another?

Source: Press book of the film.

"I will never, never get married!". With the defiant voice of a girl in the background the story of Eva and Peter begins. They are a married couple of musicians. Out of love for her husband the pianist Eva parts with her favourite city Prague and her friends and colleagues and moves with her husband into a beautiful, old farmhouse at the Slovak-Hungarian border. Initially the couple's only problem is caused by the former landlady, who moves with her daughter Janka into the garden house, contrary to their prior arrangement. But soon emotional tensions evolve. Peter is composing and doesn't have time for Eva. She feels neglected and their love life comes to a halt. On top of that, Eva's isolation in the village is increasing, especially due to her lack of Hungarian, the predominant language. She starts to take trips to Prague again and begins an affair with a musician friend. Peter senses that his marriage is at risk and tries to make an effort with his wife again. Michaela Pavlátová has filmed her very grown-up, classic relationship film like a stage play. The music plays an important part as the catharsis of emotions. The hidden key figure is the 12 year-old Janka, keeping an exact record of the surrounding adults' actions in her diary. She secretly adores Peter and for the first time suffers from a broken heart. An implied happy end is subtly balanced by Janka's "I will never, never get married!".

Source: Catalogue Cottbus Film Festival 2003

Director's Biography/Filmography

Michaela Pavlátová graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in 1987 and immediately began creating animated films. She came to international prominence in 1991 when her short film “Words, Words, Words” (Reci, reci, reci) was nominated for an Oscar. In 1995, her short film “Repete” won a Golden Bear at the Berlinale. Her films have won numerous awards all over the world. From 1992-1998, in addition to her independent animation projects, she taught animation in Prague at the Academy of Performing Arts, Film and TV School as well as at her alma mater, the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design. Since 1995, she has been blending live-action with her animation. From 1998 to 2001, she divided her time between Prague and San Francisco, where she not only taught at the prestigious Academy of Art College but also continues to work as the art director for the animation company Wildbrain, Inc. “Faithless Games” (Neverné hry) is her first live-action feature film.
Filmography: “Faithless Games” (2003), “Taily Tales”(2002, animation), “Graveyard” (2002, animation), “On Grandma” (2000, animation and live-action), “Absolute Love” (1999, live-action), “Forever and Ever” (1998, animation and live-action), “This Could Be Me” (1995, animation and live-action), “Repete” (1995, animation), “Uncles and Aunts” (1992, animation), “Words, Words, Words” (1991, animation), “The Crossword Puzzle” (1989, animation), “An Etude From the Album” (1987, animation)

Source: Press book of the film.

Domestic Reviews

“Solitude, indecision, inability to adapt in a relationship or, alternatively, too much adaptability: these are the states one goes through on the way to satisfaction - with life, with partners, with one's self. Director Michaela Pavlátová captures all of this with great sensitivity. Cameraman Martin Štrba assists her to great effect, capturing soft sunlight, the stillness of summer storms, the quietness of the outdoors, and the excellent performance by Zuzana Stivínová.”
(Darina Krivánková, Lidové noviny, 16.5.2003)

“The screenplay by Tiny Diosi isn't full of dramatic reversals. As a matter of fact, at the end of the story, the situation is even more open than before. Instead, and very happily for the audience, Michaela Pavlátová concentrates substantially on depicting the female character, the motivations and logic of her thoughts and behavior.”
(Vera Míšková, Právo, 16.5.2003).

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