- Occupation
Producer, Director - Country
Slovak Republic
Kaboš Ladislav
The Man who Changed Shanghai
Three siblings, Martin (87) from Monaco, Theo (85) from Canada and Alessa (82) from the USA narrate the fascinating true-life story of their father L.E. Hudec (1893-1958), a famous architect in Shanghai. For the first time Alessa visits Slovakia the birthplace of her father. Together with her brother Theo, they decide to visit China after 63 years - the country of their childhood and youth. This inspiring documentary not only explores the many exciting details of the life of L.E. Hudec, father of Asian high-rises, but also serves as an authentic testimony of life of Europeans in Colonial Shanghai before The People’s Republic of China was formed. It presents the never-before-seen 16mm home-movies that were shot between 1927-1938 by Ladislav Hudec himself.
Kde končí naděje, začíná peklo
A portrait of Catholic priest Marian Kuffa who dedicates most of his time to work with ex convicts, alcoholics, prostitutes and the homeless. An engineering graduate, horse lover, an avid karatist and climber, Kuffa became a priest when he turned thirty. Since 1992 he has renovated an old dilapidated rectory with the help of former prisoners and homeless men, adding buildings for the elderly, people with disabilities and children. Women who were once prostitutes run the communal farm and kitchen...
Al Entisar - The Boat of Hope
We set out to Libya from Slovakia, a country where it is no longer customary to sacrifice one’s life for one’s own country and freedom; and if so, then money needs to be at stake. Fighting in Libya was going on for several months. The rebels in Misurata had their own slogan: “We won’t surrender, we’ll either win or die...“ There is only one ship plying between Malta and Libya. A single ship that gives strength to the rebels in a besieged city.
Three siblings, Martin (87) from Monaco, Theo (85) from Canada and Alessa (82) from the USA narrate the fascinating true-life story of their father L.E. Hudec (1893-1958), a famous architect in Shanghai. For the first time Alessa visits Slovakia the birthplace of her father. Together with her brother Theo, they decide to visit China after 63 years - the country of their childhood and youth. This inspiring documentary not only explores the many exciting details of the life of L.E. Hudec, father of Asian high-rises, but also serves as an authentic testimony of life of Europeans in Colonial Shanghai before The People’s Republic of China was formed. It presents the never-before-seen 16mm home-movies that were shot between 1927-1938 by Ladislav Hudec himself.
Kde končí naděje, začíná peklo
A portrait of Catholic priest Marian Kuffa who dedicates most of his time to work with ex convicts, alcoholics, prostitutes and the homeless. An engineering graduate, horse lover, an avid karatist and climber, Kuffa became a priest when he turned thirty. Since 1992 he has renovated an old dilapidated rectory with the help of former prisoners and homeless men, adding buildings for the elderly, people with disabilities and children. Women who were once prostitutes run the communal farm and kitchen...
Al Entisar - The Boat of Hope
We set out to Libya from Slovakia, a country where it is no longer customary to sacrifice one’s life for one’s own country and freedom; and if so, then money needs to be at stake. Fighting in Libya was going on for several months. The rebels in Misurata had their own slogan: “We won’t surrender, we’ll either win or die...“ There is only one ship plying between Malta and Libya. A single ship that gives strength to the rebels in a besieged city.
A Secret World of the Russian Soul
Is Orthodox spirituality still alive in Russia or is it a “new ism“ of the post-communist powers?Synopsis:The young generations of Russians are beginning to defend themselves against what they see as the ”Americanization of their culture“ and lifestyle. They seek their own identity, doing so in a much different fashion than most European young people.Older people may still remember that foreigners used to be barred from entering some specific parts of the former USSR... One of such areas was the entire Samara Region.We discover the Samara Region with Anna G., an 18-year old editor-in-chief of a local teenager magazine IDI (Go!). Together with her we search answers for questions: How does the post-communist Czech Republic and the post-Bolshevik Russia really differ? What do today’s Russian youths dream of? What they beleive?Is Orthodox spirituality still alive in Russia or is it a “new ism“ of the post-communist powers that be with their experience in the infamous NKVD? Could the Russian Orthodox Church really “retain its original spiritual values” over the past 70 years during which it had been systematically decimated and NKVD agents had been implanted in the church hierarchy? We will follow interesting life stories and remarkable cases (such as activities of former teeneger, now pope Dimitri L. and his incredible school and university in Togliatti) which may prove to be an inspiration for us as well... we may perhaps understand why the part of Europe in front of the Urals is divided into “Europe” and Russia...
The Bloody Sands of Libya
Slovak nurse Luba El Malaheg came to Libya 20 years ago. She fell in love and married a Libyan surgeon and converted to Islam. When he suddenly died two years ago, she decided to stay.The armed conflict changed the life of the Misurata hospital head nurse. She couldn’t leave the injured and dying. She sends her son and daughter back to Slovakia and then lives through hell on earth. After two months she decides to escape on a fishing boat and manages to organize transport for a seriously wounded British war photographer. Her son-in-law Nasri transports him under heavy fire to the Misurata port. Nasri and Donka decide to return to Misurata where there is no food, no medicaments, water or electricity. Luba follows them as well. In the middle of the conflict she faces horrors of the war, as well as her own conscience and dramas in her own family.
All My Children
Marian Kuffa with “his children”– former convicts, the homeless and drug addicts – start a new mission in gypsy slums in East Slovakia. A story of genuine courage, power of humanity and love. “Do not love people according to their merits but according to their needs,“ runs motto of charismatic Marian Kuffa. His “Zakovce miracle“ is known far beyond Slovakia´s borders. With former convicts, the homeless and drug addicts he built in Zakovce during 20 years a new home for handicapped seniors, single mothers, battered children and former prostitutes. They all passed through hell and find a new hope. In their farm they raise horses, grow grain, bake bread, make wooden toys; they mastered building trades. Former convicts and prostitutes turning into kind-hearted nurses. After a time, they are able to return to ordinary life. But not every story has a happy ending… There are more than 250 people in the Zakovce community. They built a hospice, a house for the elderly … they are building a new similar “family” in the neighbouring Czech Republic. Director of this film has been recording the chequered histories of the people living in community for ten years now. But now Marian efforts to change a gypsy slum, step by step educate its inhabitants. In fact, he is faced with the bureaucracies of the state – but also with the Roma themselves. The drama of the ”quixotic“ struggle with the gypsy rough reality. He is moving at the thin dividing line between life and death. Are we going to witness his success or a tragedy? We are tracing the stories of Marian Kuffa and several main characters from the Roma settlements for over three years...
Is Orthodox spirituality still alive in Russia or is it a “new ism“ of the post-communist powers?Synopsis:The young generations of Russians are beginning to defend themselves against what they see as the ”Americanization of their culture“ and lifestyle. They seek their own identity, doing so in a much different fashion than most European young people.Older people may still remember that foreigners used to be barred from entering some specific parts of the former USSR... One of such areas was the entire Samara Region.We discover the Samara Region with Anna G., an 18-year old editor-in-chief of a local teenager magazine IDI (Go!). Together with her we search answers for questions: How does the post-communist Czech Republic and the post-Bolshevik Russia really differ? What do today’s Russian youths dream of? What they beleive?Is Orthodox spirituality still alive in Russia or is it a “new ism“ of the post-communist powers that be with their experience in the infamous NKVD? Could the Russian Orthodox Church really “retain its original spiritual values” over the past 70 years during which it had been systematically decimated and NKVD agents had been implanted in the church hierarchy? We will follow interesting life stories and remarkable cases (such as activities of former teeneger, now pope Dimitri L. and his incredible school and university in Togliatti) which may prove to be an inspiration for us as well... we may perhaps understand why the part of Europe in front of the Urals is divided into “Europe” and Russia...
The Bloody Sands of Libya
Slovak nurse Luba El Malaheg came to Libya 20 years ago. She fell in love and married a Libyan surgeon and converted to Islam. When he suddenly died two years ago, she decided to stay.The armed conflict changed the life of the Misurata hospital head nurse. She couldn’t leave the injured and dying. She sends her son and daughter back to Slovakia and then lives through hell on earth. After two months she decides to escape on a fishing boat and manages to organize transport for a seriously wounded British war photographer. Her son-in-law Nasri transports him under heavy fire to the Misurata port. Nasri and Donka decide to return to Misurata where there is no food, no medicaments, water or electricity. Luba follows them as well. In the middle of the conflict she faces horrors of the war, as well as her own conscience and dramas in her own family.
All My Children
Marian Kuffa with “his children”– former convicts, the homeless and drug addicts – start a new mission in gypsy slums in East Slovakia. A story of genuine courage, power of humanity and love. “Do not love people according to their merits but according to their needs,“ runs motto of charismatic Marian Kuffa. His “Zakovce miracle“ is known far beyond Slovakia´s borders. With former convicts, the homeless and drug addicts he built in Zakovce during 20 years a new home for handicapped seniors, single mothers, battered children and former prostitutes. They all passed through hell and find a new hope. In their farm they raise horses, grow grain, bake bread, make wooden toys; they mastered building trades. Former convicts and prostitutes turning into kind-hearted nurses. After a time, they are able to return to ordinary life. But not every story has a happy ending… There are more than 250 people in the Zakovce community. They built a hospice, a house for the elderly … they are building a new similar “family” in the neighbouring Czech Republic. Director of this film has been recording the chequered histories of the people living in community for ten years now. But now Marian efforts to change a gypsy slum, step by step educate its inhabitants. In fact, he is faced with the bureaucracies of the state – but also with the Roma themselves. The drama of the ”quixotic“ struggle with the gypsy rough reality. He is moving at the thin dividing line between life and death. Are we going to witness his success or a tragedy? We are tracing the stories of Marian Kuffa and several main characters from the Roma settlements for over three years...
Finished his studies at Film and TV School of the Academy of performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) in 1980, the same year he debuted with the film „Children Looking At Us“ that was awarded the second prize in Varna in 1981. After his social-documentary ”Starina“ and ”Carnival in Sebechleby“ in 1983, the communist government prohibited him to work on his further project because of the critical point of view of his films. After the Velvet Revolution, in 1993, he has founded his own company Media Film. Currently, he is working on his documentary film projects and is also shooting films for TVs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
His credits include “The Man Who Changed Shanghai” (2010, 68min, Media Film) in which he set on a journey to Shanghai with the children of architect L.E.Hudec, the builder of first high-rises in China, which has won the Slovak Film Critics Award 2011. ”Friends Till Death“ (2008, 52 min., Czech Television), which was awarded Honorable Mention at Trilobit 2008, describes the courage and suffering of women soldiers in Svoboda’s Army during and after the World War II.
Media Film
Námestie Hraničiarov 37
85103 Bratislava
Námestie Hraničiarov 37
85103 Bratislava
Catalogue of Upcoming Czech Documentary Films - 2012
“Just One Day More “ (1997 Journalist Association Award for the best project of the year 1997 - Golden Olive, Grand prize - International Film Festival, Montenegro. THE MYSTERY OF THE TATRAS MOUNTAINS (1999) - Best Slovak Film Award - Tourfilm Festival, Bratislava. HELL BEGINS WHERE HOPE ENDS (2003) - VOX HUMANA Award for best film of the year. PEOPLE OF THE BORDER (2004) - Literary Fund Prize for best film of the year. UNFAILING FRIENDS (2007) - Honorary distinction at the FITES Trilobit award. “The Man Who Changed Shanghai” (2010, 68min, Media Film) - Slovak Film Critics Award 2011. ”Friends Till Death“ (2008, 52 min., Czech Television) - Honorable Mention at Trilobit 2008.