A hybrid, a drama, a fairy story and a documentary – even Slovak director Miro Remo doesn’t know how one can outline Karlovy Range Movie Competition winner “Higher Go Mad within the Wild.” And he doesn’t care. 

“It’s not essential to me the place this movie matches formally. What issues is that it faithfully displays the lifetime of the twins,” he says. Remo picked up the coveted Grand Prix on Saturday.

His protagonists, twin brothers František and Ondřej Klišík, live collectively far-off from the remainder of society. They’re descendants of Slovaks from Romania, who settled within the Šumava area after World Warfare II, in areas vacated by Germans. 

“Life wasn’t straightforward for them, however their mother and father taught them to worth each particular person. Fact was at all times held within the highest place of their household,” says Remo, who “met” them whereas on trip.

“My father really useful an ideal ebook by Aleš Palán, additionally known as ‘Higher to Go Mad within the Wilderness,’ which incorporates a number of highly effective tales in regards to the Šumava hermits. One in every of them was about Franta and Ondra. I contacted Aleš immediately, and he introduced me into their world.”

It’s a world filled with combating, arm-wrestling and poems which might be “lived, not penned.” “There’s loads of boring c–ts on the earth,” state the brothers. However fortunately, they don’t seem to be amongst them. 

“I fell in love with them and with their setting. I used to be fascinated by every part magical and enchantingly uncommon,” Remo says.

“In contrast with the movie, the ebook gives extra factual content material. We wanted to elucidate some issues – for instance, how Franta misplaced his hand – however we determined to solely embody minimal data.” 

Enter a speaking cow, narrating the entire story. 

“We spent 60 days with the brothers over the course of 5 years, and I started to really feel their animals have been speaking with us as properly. The most important benefit was that something was doable on that challenge. We solely wanted to beat our worry of conventions.”

Remo conceived the complete factor as a “fairytale for adults.” Nonetheless, some components of the twins’ lives felt tragic to him. 

“There are numerous tales about individuals battling alcohol, however their uniqueness lies elsewhere. They’ve developed into an uncommon type of existence with an especially robust magical presence,” he says, which led him to maneuver away from the confines of “traditional and overused” social drama. 

“[This social component] continues to be part of the story – for instance within the type of alcohol abuse – however even that problem has two sides to it. In our fairytale, substances take quite a bit from you, however in addition they give again. That is the story of their life; one they selected freely. I totally revered it.”

As Remo turned an observer of this “limitless brotherly battle” and their seek for solutions to probably the most burning questions, a friendship was cast. 

“We brazenly shared all our fears and wishes. I informed them it was essential to me for his or her portrayals to be actual, truthful and fearless, but in addition visually wealthy and deeply magical. That they had no particular requests – only one. They needed to have the ability to go away the challenge at any second.”

And but they ended up staying, pondering the everlasting dilemma. What’s extra essential: artwork or on a regular basis life? 

“Franta and Ondra are actual artists. None of us can evaluate. Franta says a poem is lived and never written. To which I’d add: ‘Artwork is a treatment for all of the viruses of this world,’” says the director, who additionally appreciated the twins’ playfulness.  

“I suppose I’m only a large child myself,” he provides. 

“I additionally grew up in a household full of affection and understanding, and I like to play and step exterior of the norms. I perceive why they selected this sort of life. The fact all of us dwell in proper now’s not attention-grabbing: it’s too atypical and demanding. It’s higher to go mad someplace within the wilderness.”

Produced by Remo and Tomáš Hrubý for Arsy-Versy, the movie was co-produced by nutprodukce. Filmotor handles gross sales, whereas Aerofilms distributes in Czech Republic and Movie Expanded in Slovakia.