The world premiere of a film that disturbingly mirrors today’s society

August 3, 2022

The film Piargy, co-produced by RTVS based on František Švantner’s novella from the interwar period, reflects today’s society so disturbingly that it gives the audience chills.

“This story is told in the language of love and passion, I’m sure everyone will understand it,” says the representative of the main character, Judit Bárdos, and continues: “It’s the biggest project I’ve ever worked on. A lot of people of different nationalities worked on it, which helped give it an international flair and sparkle.”

According to the producer Silvia Panáková, the film PIARGY shows how people lived, thought and what was the status of women in a patriarchal society at that time. “It could have happened in 1939, but also in 2022. The relationships between spouses, parents and children, or church and village, have not changed in many ways to this day. PIARGY are a metaphor for the fight between good and evil and hold up a mirror to the crooked morality that is not alien even to today’s society.”

The filmmaker, who has more than 20 feature and documentary works to her credit, met the award-winning Macedonian director Ivo Trajkov many years ago. “I really liked his film Great Water (2004), which touched me deeply. It had a village atmosphere and a relationship theme, which was also the theme of our film. That’s when I said to myself that I would like to make a film with him one day.”

Since Trajkov grew up in a similar environment, he knew exactly what village relations were about. Together with our screenwriter Jana Skořepová, they came up with an interesting concept of how to expand the eleven-page novella by František Švantner, what motifs to add and what to focus on, so that a strong film story could emerge from it. The creators approached Tomáš Berka for the position of architect, Peter Bencsik accepted the role of cameraman, Anita Hrošová signed for the costumes and masks.

The plot of the film takes the viewer to the village of PIARGY. Young, beautiful and poor Juliša (Judit Bárdos) pays a heavy price for her desire for a better life. When she marries Martin (Daniel Fischer) – the son of the richest landowner, she finds herself in a family with strict rules. Not only will she face the unpleasant pressure of her mother-in-law, but she will not be able to defend herself against the violent seduction of her father-in-law (Attila Mokoš). Despite this, Juliša falls in love with her husband’s father and a love triangle develops. However, the forbidden secret will not remain hidden for long and everyone wants to benefit from it. Juliša’s sister (Lucia Šipošová), people in the village and even the village priest (Ivan Martinka).

The village of Piarga will live a sinful life until it disappears completely in one Shrovetide night. As if the devils took her away with people, houses and animals. Will the prophecies of the old local witch Uli (Jana Oľhová) about the arrival of the Antichrist and cruel punishment come true?

In addition to Judit Bárdos, Attila Mokoš, Daniel Fischer, Lucia Šipošová and Jana Oľhová, Jana Kvantiková, Peter Nádasdi, Lucia Vráblicová, or the late Marián Geišberg will appear in the film. “In 2016, we shot the first shot of the film with him. They were taken in the Třebíč Cathedral in the Czech Republic and at the town hall in Bratislava. We had no idea that he would not live to see the premiere and I am very sorry, because he was not only an extremely talented actor, but above all a wonderful person,” adds Silvia Panáková.

The world premiere of the film Piargy will take place at the 17th Cinematik IFF as part of our Closing Ceremony.