Czech Dream
Encyclopedia
Czech Dream is a documentary film
directed by two young Czech directors: Vít Klusák and Filip Remunda
. The film was released in February 2004. It recorded a large-scale hoax perpetuated by Klusák and Remunda on the Czech public
, culminating in the "opening event" of a fake hypermarket
. The film was their final project for film school.
around it. Posing as businessmen, the two film students managed to persuade an ad agency and a public relations agency to create a campaign for them. Billboards appeared on Czech highways, and 200,000 pamphlets were distributed in Prague
. A jingle
was recorded, and there was a series of television commercials. The advertising campaign slogans were "don't come" and "don't spend", etc.
Still, the filmmakers succeeded in attracting more than 3000 shoppers to an empty plain for their "grand opening" on May 31, 2003. What looked like a huge building from a distance was actually only a canvas facade backed by scaffolding
.
The first customer arrived at about 7 a.m. for the 10 a.m. opening; she had risen to see the early-morning partial solar eclipse
, which the film shows being observed by Klusák and Remunda while they set up for the opening..
When the "customers" finally realised that they had been deceived, they reacted in different ways. Some understood the filmmakers' message, some tried to take it optimistically ("At least we had some fresh air"), but most were angry, and many decided to blame the government.
The idea for the hoax
came from a 2002 study by Incoma Research reporting that 30% of Czechs shop mainly at hypermarkets. There has been growing concern in the country about the growth of advertising
and consumerism
.
Other than holding a sort of a mirror up to consumer society, the film also shows how advertising companies work and what methods and tricks they use.
, Jihlava
, Ljubljana
and Århus.
On September 8, 2006, it was broadcast by ARTE
and on September 26, 2006, by Australia
's Special Broadcasting Service
TV. On January 30, 2007, it was broadcast by the VPRO
and on October 9, 2007, by More 4. It was also broadcast by TVR Cultural
on January 20, 2009.
Broadcasted on Link TV in the USA on June 2 2011.
Broadcasted on Link TV in the USA on June 2 2011
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed by two young Czech directors: Vít Klusák and Filip Remunda
Filip Remunda
Filip Remunda is a Czech film director, cinematographer and producer.-Biography:Filip Remunda graduated at FAMU–documentary directing department in the masterclass of Karel Vachek...
. The film was released in February 2004. It recorded a large-scale hoax perpetuated by Klusák and Remunda on the Czech public
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, culminating in the "opening event" of a fake hypermarket
Hypermarket
In commerce, a hypermarket is a superstore combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including full groceries lines and general merchandise...
. The film was their final project for film school.
Advertising
Remunda and Klusák invented the "Český sen" hypermarket and created a massive advertising campaignAdvertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
around it. Posing as businessmen, the two film students managed to persuade an ad agency and a public relations agency to create a campaign for them. Billboards appeared on Czech highways, and 200,000 pamphlets were distributed in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. A jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
was recorded, and there was a series of television commercials. The advertising campaign slogans were "don't come" and "don't spend", etc.
Still, the filmmakers succeeded in attracting more than 3000 shoppers to an empty plain for their "grand opening" on May 31, 2003. What looked like a huge building from a distance was actually only a canvas facade backed by scaffolding
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes or tubes, although it can be from other materials...
.
The first customer arrived at about 7 a.m. for the 10 a.m. opening; she had risen to see the early-morning partial solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
, which the film shows being observed by Klusák and Remunda while they set up for the opening..
Hoax revealed
As customers gathered, trinkets and small gifts were available—key chains and flags—so that everyone would leave with something. A master of ceremonies kept up a commentary as people gathered and finally asked Klusák and Remunda, the "managers", to cut a ribbon. After this, the barricades were removed, and people could walk or run towards the facade.When the "customers" finally realised that they had been deceived, they reacted in different ways. Some understood the filmmakers' message, some tried to take it optimistically ("At least we had some fresh air"), but most were angry, and many decided to blame the government.
The idea for the hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
came from a 2002 study by Incoma Research reporting that 30% of Czechs shop mainly at hypermarkets. There has been growing concern in the country about the growth of advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and consumerism
Consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Thorstein Veblen...
.
Other than holding a sort of a mirror up to consumer society, the film also shows how advertising companies work and what methods and tricks they use.
Prizes
The film won prizes at festivals in KrakówKraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Jihlava
Jihlava
Jihlava is a city in the Czech Republic. Jihlava is a centre of the Vysočina Region, situated on the Jihlava river on the ancient frontier between Moravia and Bohemia, and is the oldest mining town in the Czech Republic, ca. 50 years older than Kutná Hora.Among the principal buildings are the...
, Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
and Århus.
On September 8, 2006, it was broadcast by ARTE
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
and on September 26, 2006, by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Special Broadcasting Service
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
TV. On January 30, 2007, it was broadcast by the VPRO
VPRO
The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...
and on October 9, 2007, by More 4. It was also broadcast by TVR Cultural
TVR Cultural
TVR Cultural is the cultural channel of Romania's government-funded television network Televiziunea Română. It provides cultural news, documentaries about the arts, as well as various shows, musicals and theatrical pieces.-References:*...
on January 20, 2009.
Broadcasted on Link TV in the USA on June 2 2011.
See also
- EntropaEntropaEntropa is a sculpture created by Czech artist David Černý under commission for the Czech Republic to mark the occasion of its presidency of the Council of the European Union...
: another Czech political, artsy hoax
Broadcasted on Link TV in the USA on June 2 2011