How the small country (almost) lost its mind.

The Lust for Power

Synopsis

THE LUST FOR POWER, a documentary made by the young director Tereza Nvotova (Take it Jeasy!) is the story of Slovak ex-politician Vladimir Meciar and the impact he’s had on Slovak society and her own life.

COUNTRY
Slovakia, Czech Republic

PRODUCER
ZUZANA MISTRÍKOVÁ, ĽUBICA ORECHOVSKÁ

GENRE
DOCUMENTARY FILM

CO-PRODUCER
Pavel Strnad, Kateřina Černá, Tereza Polachová
SUPPORT OF STATE CINEMATOGRAPHY FUND (CZ)

RELEASE DATE
25. 10. 2017

SCREENING FORMAT
DCP

RUNTIME
89 min

Trailer & Photogallery

Cast & Crew

DIRECTOR 
Tereza Nvotová

WRITER
Tereza Nvotová, Josef Krajbich

EDITOR
Josef Krajbich

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Martin Žiaran

MUSIC
Pjoni

SOUND DESIGNER
Radim Hladík

About the film

The story begins in 1989 when she’s a one year old and the Velvet Revolution is about to bring down the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Following their victory, almost none of the revolutionary leaders want to occupy important government positions. They organize an open call for the position of Minister of Interior, and an unknown lawyer from a small town, Vladimir Meciar, vies for the job. He wins and proceeds to rise to the very top.
While governing he becomes a benevolent dictator, ruling the country using tools of corruption, propaganda and organized crime. While events like the division of Czechoslovakia or the kidnapping of the President’s son unfold, Tereza and her friends are playing children’s games of politics casting Meciar in the lead role.
The documentary Taste of Power doesn’t only cover one chapter in Slovak political history. It raises universal and very current questions, because Meciar-like political archetypes keep popping up all over the world.