This years festival was accompanied by a unexpectedly high interest of visitors, which were appreciating the wide selection of the festival and the professional realisation of the project. A big “thank you” belongs to everyone who was helping us and without which the festival would not able to accomplish it’s goals.
Mene Tekel kicked off with the opening of the inter-generation exhibition project “Art in unfreedom”, overseen by the Charles university rector Vaclav Hampl. The Karolinum gallery made a great atmosphere for the exhibition of the works of the academic painter and political prisoner Bedrich Bartak — “Paintings”, for the contemporary message from the Arts academy students — “Say no to the devil”, for the tragic documentary project of the Latvian museums “Letters from Siberia written on birch bark” , for the exhibition cycle of the works of children “My country and my freedom” and also for a number of projects connected with the writer and political prisoner Karel Pecka to whom a large part of the festival was dedicated to.
Screenings of thematic documentary films through to the 7th of March were also part of the composition.
The grand opening of the Mene Tekel festival took place in the St. Nicholas church — introduced by the pastor Renata Wesleyova and followed by the appearances of the mayor of Prague Bohuslav Svoboda, the KPV chairwoman Nadezda Kavalirova, the KPVS chairman Anon Srholec, the INTERASSO president Jure Knezovic and the old catholic church bishop Dusan Hejbal. The music part of the event was mastered by the chamber orchestra Trio Cantabile.
The evening in the Ponrepo cinema was dedicated to the Czech premiere of the Latvian documentary Siberian Balance and to meeting the author — Dzintra Geka. The number of important guests included the representation of the Latvian embassy accompanied by J. E. Kaspars Ozolinš.
The next day the highly attended round table discussion “Conscience of the artist” took place, where the life approaches and questions of responsibility were presented by playwriter Milan Uhde, writer Rudolf Dobias, artist Vladimir Kokolia, historian Jan Lukes and director Dzintra Geka. TV host Vladimir Kucera led the dialog between these important guests and the young generation.
The traditional music-literal evening was focused on the presentation of the works of poet and political prisoner Rudolf Dobias. In the Karolinum gallery Stefan Bucko, member of the Slovakian national theatre, read parts of the book Bells and Graves — accompanied by the musical improvisations of Pavel Baxa. The author also presented his new book Johana. Johana’s boy. The chronicle of love an death.
The program Forgotten Shame, from the pens of play writer Vlastimil Venclik and historian Petr Slintak, took place the next night in the Karolinum gallery. The visitors were listening to audio recordings from the Forgotten portraits cycle and watching the screenings of the Nation to itself and Uninvited guest documentaries. The lineup of special guest included Frantisek Suchy whose witnessing of the terrors of the 50s sparked a very lively discussion.
The morning programs for schools were focused on creating discussions on given themes — in this direction a very succesfull discussion was started by the Latvian embassy representative Jānis Kalva, who introduced the young audience to his own experiences with the communist totality. An original inter-generation “bridge” was built thanks to the program of the Daughters of the 50s organisation, which brought the testimonies of the descendants of political prisoners.
Every year the Mene Tekel festival cooperates with the National film archive, which prepared a cycle of historical comedies in the Ponrepo cinema.
The music performances are also an inseparable part of the festival- the Vagon music club hosted these evenings where before each concert a documentary about human rights in China was screened.
The reconstruction of political processes at the Pankrac high court as always belonged to one of the most attractive programs of the festival. With this seminar closing, led by JUDr. Jan Kuklik and Mgr. Jan Rericha, the students of the Law faculty of the Charles University presented the results of their historic research and the hierarchy of etic values. The filled jury hall was applauding the performances of the students who were paying tribute to the writer and political prisoner Karel Pecka.
The festival was brought to an end by the ecumenical service in the St. Vitus cathedral. The prayers were read by the Prague archbishop Dominik Duka, the ecumenical church council head Joel Ruml, the Church of the brethren council head Daniel Fajfr, the vice chairman of the methodical evangelistic church council Zdenek Ebrle and bishop Krystof, the representative of the Orthodox church.
The scenic dance on the motives of Stabat Mater from A. Dvorak by the elementary arts school students from Usti nad Orlici was also part of the spiritual program.
The music side of the event was brilliantly taken care of by the chorus of the CVUT in Prague.
The children’s procession bringing communist totality relicts like the head of Christ made in jail, barbed wire and other symbols to the cross became a very emotional part of the event.
Redakce: MK