Form of Love

Drama/comedy/short, Czech Republic, 2013, 25 min

Director, Screenwriter: Matěj Balcar

Director of Photography: Aleš Svoboda

Production Manager: Kateřina Černá

Sound Designer: Vojta Nedvěd

Editor: Martin Blažek

Assistant Director: Michal Turcar

Art Director: Ondřej Balcar

Executive Producer: Vojtěch Wolf

Music Composer: R.A.Dvorský

Cast: Pavel Zedníček (Butler Kamil), Pavel Nový (Oscar Schiller), Ljuba Krbová (Marie Schiller), Kristýna Hrušínská (Maid Verunka), Matěj Balcar (Mechanic), Ondřej Balcar (Gardener)

Story:

Form of Love is a story set in the 1940's, the protagonist is an elder man, Kamil, who works as a butler for a rich factory owner Oscar Schiller and his wife Marie. He has been the family butler for over 5 years, and even though he tries to keep things on a professional level, he has become a part of the Schiller family in a way. That might be one of the reasons, why Oscar told him, that he is considering leaving his wife, so he can be with the young maid. Kamil, who never truly believed in relationships, was rather surprised. Due to his loyalty, he promised Oscar that he would keep it only between them, which accidentally made him an observer of the passion going on between the factory owner and the young maid. The real problem begins however, when the maid gets pregnant and Oscar has to come out with the truth. From that moment on, things get exciting, when everyone has their own skeletons in the closet and they plan their own schemes, even to the point of killing the other person. A movie based on the clichés of family melodramas melts comedy and drama with a strong dose of detective stories.

Short synopsis:

Oscar and Marie Schiller have lived together for more than thirty years. However, their marriage is suddenly interrupted by two unexpected events which draw a family butler, Kamil, into the story. He’s put into the role of a middleman, as the main observer of events in the family, who knows everything yet nothing at the same time. Confused, he goes through the ever-entangling stories of the married couple and servants, which slowly lead to a grand finale.

Characters:

Butler Kamil (Pavel Zedníček): 60 years old, elegant, charismatic, energetic

An active 60-year old, charismatic seducer, notorious loner and a very energetic and funny man, laughing in the face of love and human pretense. Over the course of the film, he is an observer of Oscar and Marie’s relationship, which finally opens his eyes to love. At first a self-centred man, he gradually and unexpectedly starts to become a sensitive man and deeply in love with Verunka.

Oscar Schiller (Pavel Nový): 60 years old, elegant, refined

Refined, attractive 60-year old, who‘s trying to convince himself that he is, thanks to his life experience, above the physical pleasures.  He’s only lying to himself because he almost immediately succumbs to young Verunka’s beauty, which puts him in a difficult position. On one hand, he still loves his wife, a devoted Marie, but on the other, he desperately wants to be with Verunka, a young beautiful woman, who makes him feel happy and young. Because he is a very sensitive and empathetic man since his early years, he’s trying to get out of this situation without hurting his relatives. His dealings, however, seem rather unfortunate in the end.

Marie Schiller (Ljuba Krbová): 53 years old, beautiful elder woman, energetic

Very kind and energetic woman who deeply loves her husband. A southern temperamental type of character.  Always deals with problems based on her best intention (however those are based on emotion and feeling).

Verunka (Kristýna Hrušínská): 25 years old, a gorgeus woman with a piercing look

Young, beautiful, naive girl, who has a weakness for older and experienced men. However she doesn’t realize that her actions might mean harm to others. She acts very spontaneously and emotionally.

Form of Love is a student graduation film of the Film Academy of Miroslav Ondricek in Pisek. It’s a short film referencing only the best traditions from period czech films while using top of the line technology. This film is primarily aimed for international film festivals and should also work as a connecting element of the contemporary czech film and a foreign audience. Its realization will take place in the Czech Republic during May with the first screening in Prague in September 2013. Shortly after, the film will be released on the internet in english.

The shooting will begin 3 May and will continue until 11 May.

Matěj Balcar, Kateřina Černá, Vojta Nedvěd, Vojtěch Wolf, Ondřej Balcar and Martin Blažek form the core of the group that worked on the previous two films Emptiness Above Emptiness, which won Audience's Choice Award at the Black Tower film festival in the Czech Republic, and A Weird Night, which has entered into several European film festivals.

Cinematography

• Locations

Palace Kačina in Kutná Hora

This is the location of the Schiller home, where we will shoot principal photography.

Interiors

The interiors in which Oscar, Marie, Kamil and Verunka will live.

• Costumes

Costumes from Barrandov Studios

Oscar Schiller's suit.

• Props
  

Period cars including the famous Tatraplan

Transport

• Accommodation for the cast and crew

Film Equipment

• Camera equipment

We will be shooting on a RED Scarlet with Panavision lenses and we plan to utilize dollies and cranes.

• Post-production

We will be editing the film in Avid, color grading in a professional studio and sound mixing in Pro-Tools.

Thank you very much for your support and feel free to share this project with your friends!