A new documentary on the life and work of Milan Sladek, a world-famous mime of Slovak origin, has been launched in cinemas all across the country. Directed by his friend Martin Sulik, it presents the rise of modern Slovak pantomime influenced by French stars such as Jean-Gaspard Deburau, Jean-Louis Barrault or Marcel Marceau. Milan Sladek, however, made up his own style and poetics. After the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw pact troops in August 1968, he fled the country and started living and working in Germany. The film presents an array of archive material, photos and videos from Sladek's performances as well as interviews with him and his collaborators and thus captures the fate of a whole generation of Slovak theatre makers.
Martina Šimkovičová, Photo: TASR
