The Time of Crisis
Krizno obdobje
The Time of Crisis
Slovenia 1981
directed by
Franci Slak
screenplay
Franci Slak
cinematography
Radovan Čok
sound
Hanna Preuss Slak
editing
Sonja Peklenk
cast
Ana Avbar, Roberto Battelli, Vili Bitežnik, Peter Božič, Ivan Brecelj, Jože Breskvar, Anka Cerlini, Marko Derganc, Emil Filipčič, Niko Goršič, Mila Kačič, Jože Kadunc, Marko Marin, Alojz Milič, Joži Pepeluh, Bruno Perič, Tanja Premk, Janez Puh, Marija Radovič, Tanja Rener, Dušanka Ristić, Zora Rosa, Josip Rukavina, Andrej Slak, Franci Slak, Dora Škerjanc, Srečo Špik, Franc Uršič, Ivan Volarič Feo, Tončka Žgajnar
production
RTV Ljubljana, Viba film - Ljubljana, Inex film - Beograd, Art film 80 - Beograd
world sales
Viba film - Ljubljana
format
35 mm, barvni/colour
running time
89'
»There are no 'larger than life' things in this film,« says Franci Slak at the end of the script for his first feature film The Time of Crisis, »no deep experiences or moving words.« And then he grounds his decision for such a narration, in which the fundamental narrative expressions such as 'story', 'scene', etc., lose their usual meaning, in the nature of the time of crisis. It sounds almost as an apology. Today, thirty years later, there is even less understanding for non-dramatic film narrative. If you cannot offer a spectacle, at least offer a drama.
Slak offers what is written, a series of situations which he does not develop into 'scenes', but mostly leaves them as sketches without any beginning or end, which is the only way we can observe the lives of others. By way of a quiet, detached observation, he builds an image of a young man in whom the first creative, social and emotional zeal has just died away. While he follows his every step, accompanying him on the wayward city and country paths, an increasingly clearer social picture arises from the background, a bare image of the silent generation that missed the wave of the 60s and now stands at the threshold of the new wave of the 80s, which will wash it away.
Franci was all but the image of his first 'hero'. He was always marked by passion, courage and broadmindedness. It was precisely because of his untiring activity, his vivacity, that he could experience the apathy of young people so strongly. When, at the end, jazz players appear on the TV screen, their ecstatic faces, a gulf opens between these two people, the filmmaker and his hero.
Franci Slak
Franci Slak was born in 1953 in Krško. He completed his film directing studies at the Lodz Film School in Poland. With the portrait Eva (1985) and a deliriously satirical apology Bumpstone (1985), he became established as one of the more interesting filmmakers of the younger generation. In addition to making a few short films, he also shot his feature debut The Time of Crisis (1981) for TV Ljubljana. For his feature film The Felons (1987) and original TV drama Laughter (1987), he received the 1989 Prešeren Foundation Award. He was a scriptwriter, director, producer of experimental, fictional, documentary and TV films, videos and multimedia, founder of the Bindweed Soundvision production company (1992) and a professor of film directing at the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television.
