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Brothers' Surreal Life: Quixotic Wisdom in Isolation
8 Sep
Summary
- Two Czech brothers live isolated lives farming in the Šumava mountains.
- They are known for their quixotic wisdom, philosophizing, and activism.
- The film explores their unique bond shortly before one brother's death.
Director Miro Remo journeyed to the Czech countryside to document the isolated lives of brothers František and Ondřej Klišík. Residing in the Šumava mountains, these men, approaching 60, cultivate their smallholding and engage in peculiar philosophical discussions and sibling rivalries. Their life, far from conventional, is characterized by unique wisdom and a past as anti-Soviet activists.
The film captures the brothers' intense communion with nature and animals, portraying a prelapsarian haven where discord and resolution constantly bubble up. Despite facing challenges like alcoholism and differing views on their shared history, their bond is evident through kitchen-table laughter and mutual mythologization. A dream sequence even features a levitating Franta.
Shortly after the documentary won the Grand Prix at the Karlovy Vary film festival last year, František tragically died in a village pond. This event underscores the film's exploration of family, nature, and interdependency, leaving behind a legacy of wisdom from the brothers' rowdy and brilliant existence.
