Jana and Petja Pulkrabek about their latest projects
With the short film "Factory Drop" and the theater production "Vodka Talks," ManusArts founders and siblings Jana and Petja Pulkrabek present two projects with socially and politically relevant topics, such as social injustice and the rising of right-wing extremism in Europe.
Jana about Vodka Talks
Vodka Talks is a fantastic theater debut by Hamburg author Arne Donnie Nielsen. The play combines many exciting elements: two strong female characters, hidden family secrets, as well as socially relevant topics. While Vodka flows, two very different sisters sort through their deceased father's estate and discuss politics, religion, and life; in doing so, they are confronted with their own beliefs and ideals. The plot deals with the rise of right-wing extremism in Europe. “The script fascinated me from the beginning. It is the balance of what is revealed and the layer beneath, what the audience can guess as answers. The challenge of translating Arne's words into English has been excellently accomplished with Vanessa Poole. Also, it has been a long-standing desire of mine to collaborate with Copenhagen-based film and theater veteran Lars Junggreen, who so intelligently directed the play with an eye on German history.
Photo Credit: Henrik Uth
Petja about Factory Drop
With Factory Drop, I wanted to tell a captivating story with strong visual images that transport the viewer into a different world. Factory Drop was inspired by various sources. Firstly, I am fascinated by the science fiction cinema of the 70s and 80s, with its dark and expressive visions of the future. Additionally, I love silent films and was determined to create a film without dialogue. I came up with the idea for the screenplay during the Corona lockdown. The loss of art and culture greatly preoccupied my mind during this time. I often found myself thinking about cinematic dystopias like 1984, where people are deprived of their freedom. Although Factory Drop takes the audience into a fictional world, the film reflects the sad fact that we live in a divided world. Furthermore, it explores the feeling that emotions, art, music, and dance are essential to us as human beings. These creative forms of expression have a transformative power and can give us hope and light in a dark world. Even in the midst of darkness, there is always a spark of hope.
Photo Credit: Wiktor Filip Gacparski