FF40: Bamboozlement + Q&A from the perspective of psychology

The screening of a series of short films will take place as part of the FAMUFEST 40.

Did you swallow the bait again? You thought you had discovered an ancient egg, but it was only a hen's one? Or did you fall for some cult again? Maybe you feel miserable, you've been lured into a trap again. It doesn't matter, sometimes things are not what they seem. That's why we recommend you watch this block carefully, paying attention to details. You can trust us. Or not?

Beware Children / Eliška Jiraskova / Czech Republic 2023 / 2 min. / no dialogue - The road holds some unexpected obstacles even for the most responsible of drivers.

Dodo story / Ema Hůlková / Czech Republic 2023 / 14 min. / Czech with English subtitles - “And now, special news from abroad. A very last one Dodo, the kind flightless bird, remains in this world. His new human neighbors can't seem to leave him alone. Imagine, Dodo is so kind-hearted, so trusting, he basically runs into a human's knife, lays its eggs right at the human doorstep. If people stop eating the eggs, there might be a chance to save Dodo.” A story of saving the last kind soul in a city of withered caricatures, who spiral down their despair and mindlessly devour one another.

A Blessing / Barbora Venclova / Czech Republic 2023 / 9 min. / Czech with English subtitles - Veronika and Jonáš are looking forward to living together for the first time in a surprisingly good rent. However, a collision with the landlords reveals that the living arrangements will be far from free. Who does the housing crisis play into the hands of and who can afford to choose their housing today?

Sous-vide / Jan Schneider / Czech Republic 2023 / 5 min. / Czech with English - Nice houses, swimming pools and cars - the suburban life seems idyllic. Though, appearances can be deceptive. Especially if you like to watch cooking shows on TV…

Gut / Jan Jansa / Czech Republic 2023 / 6 min. / Czech with English subtitles - An apprentice butcher embarks on an adventurous quest that will show him that life is not just about meat and sausages, but also about love… and sausages.

Blue Boy / Nikulás Tumi / Czech Republic 2023 / 13 min. / Czech with English subtitles - After a random encounter outside a nightclub, a young house painter ends up in an afterparty with a charming couple, only to find himself trapped in a power-play between the two, who use him as a prop to relight their flame.

Sevi Lwa / Piotrek Jasinski / Česká republika 2023 / 6 min. / anglicky s českými titulky - In a small attic in the middle of the city center, the girl's voodoo finally succeeds.
Trigger warning: weapons/ shooting

Súrao, oh you Súrao / Jakub Ondráček / Czech Republic 2023 / 11 min. / Czech with English subtitles - Permanent storage is a matter of public interest and high priority. If a site is selected as a permanent repository site, taking into fair consideration the relevant considerations, the local community must make a sacrifice in the public interest. But in this country, we don't.

Is There Life On Mars? / Mikuláš Pekárek / 2 min. / Czech with English subtitles - Daydreaming - letting our thoughts and dreams drift freely when we go somewhere or have to do something we don't feel like doing. Everyone probably experiences it from time to time, but it does beg one question. Can we escape from reality by daydreaming, for example, while watching a movie or listening to music? Is this fantasy escape into imaginary worlds possible, or will it eventually return us to the real world in a roundabout way? As the title suggests, David Bowie explored this idea in his song Life on Mars, and the composition highlights this ever-present question.

Dr. Anticorro / Michal Schmidt / Czech Republic 2023 / 5 min. / without dialogue - Ingenious scientist Dr. Anticorro builds a working machine to transform inanimate objects into a biological life form. But what happens when a human accidentally enters the machine? A studio exercise by a second-year camera department student that pays homage to German Expressionism and classic 1930s horror.

Oil Gobblers / Jan Svěrák / Czech Republic 1988 / 20 min. / Czech with English subtitles - Jan Svěrák made the documentary Ropáci in 1988 as a graduation film at the Department of Documentary Film at FAMU in Prague. The suggestive narrative deals with a fictional scientific expedition in search of an unknown animal, the oilman, whose existence contradicts all the principles of normal life in a healthy nature. A serious ecological problem is presented here completely upside down; yet the story is depicted so believably that the mystification is almost perfect.

Running time: 93 min.