Stalin III: Stronger than it seems
by Michal Altair Valasek, Lupus Pictures executive producer
The story of Stalin III started by final pargraph of Niki Flynn's essay Tales From the Dark Side: "If Lupus ever makes a film set in a madhouse, I can guess who they’ll call…"
We consider Niki to be our friend. And too many members of the production team believes that if you have enough good friends, you don't need any enemies. So we started writing movie set in a madhouse, just to satisfy our friend.
By the way, I can recommend buying the Stalin III DVD from RGE Films. As a bonus you'll find there my interview with Niki and a hint about what our next movie with Niki can possibly be!
This movie is stronger than it seems.
During its creation, we carefully mixed reality with imagination. The numbers of victims of the "socialistic justice" in our commentary are real. Facilities similar to what we depicted really existed. And there really were abandoned railway tracks and bridges heading to the iron curtain.
Combination of our acted scenes and reality is really strong. When I first saw the movie, I was stunned. Even though I was one of creators of the movie, the final effect surprised even me.
It may be worthy for you lucky enough not to be bothered with current situation in Czech Republic to know how things changed from time when the movie was finished.
For more than a year our country was de facto ruled by duet of CSSD (Czech social democratic party) and KSČM (Communist party of Bohemia and Moravia). Both parties passed bills like one which in fact put all healthcare under state control and drastically limited freedom in this area. The de iure political coalition which is formally governing never agreed on this.
In parliamentary election, the communist party is third most powerful political power. Lower chamber of the Parliament has 200 seats and 100 of them is held by KSCM and CSSD. Although ODS (rightist Civil Democratic Party) won the election, KSCM and CSSD are for more than a month blocking formation of new Parliament and new government.
Yesterday, chef of the KSCM was officially invited by the President, for first time since year 1989 when the iron curtain falled. This person collaborated with the secret police (StB).
It's obvious that, if communism would return to power, it would not begin with imprisonment and torture of political opponents. But history says that's the way it would inevitably would end.
Let's hope than in near future we won't be visited by few sleek men in long leather coats.