Marzenka

As leitmotif of Albert Meisl´s Marzenka, Marek hits the Ping-Pong ball against the face of the standing Ping-Pong table with a mechanical regularity, playing a game with and against himself. From the window of his childhood bedroom refuge, Marek observes the arrival of his Polish cousin. Marzenka has come here to study. The twenty-eight year old finds this out when he eavesdrops on the intruder’s conversation with his mother. They communicate bilingually, which Marek dismisses with a laconic declaration: “I´m Austrian!”

In addition to the succinct dialogue, the mutual observation and commenting is also virulent: the conscious listening or not listening constitutes a complex relationship structure, within which glances tossed back and forth gradually penetrate the characters´ carefully compiled protective armor. These interpersonal thresholds are also formally articulated by the framing through door and window frames.

The pounding narrative rhythm arises from the continuously progressing elliptical narration. When Marek and Marzenka run out of a restaurant without paying, the plot turns: going against his declaration, Marek falls back on the Polish language. The failure of his attempt to free himself from his roots is, at the same time, an unconscious confession. For precisely after this occurrence, the hitherto opponents come closer together. Previously unexposed character traits, as well as a shift in power relations, come to light: Marek now claims Marzenka as his own, and wants control. After all, it is only in the position of patriarch that he is able to break out of his inability and apathy.
Marzenka ends with a long shot. Mounted into it is the omnipresent rhythmic-monotone clatter of the Ping-Pong ball.
(Matthias K. Heschl)

Translation: Lisa Rosenblatt

Orig. Title
Marzenka
Year
2013
Country
Austria
Duration
25 min
Director
Albert Meisl
Category
Short fiction
Orig. Language
German, polish
Subtitles
English
Downloads
Marzenka (Image)
Marzenka (Image)
Marzenka (Image)
Credits
Director
Albert Meisl
Script
Albert Meisl
Cinematography
Marion Prigliner
Sound
Henning Backhaus, Katharina Demmler
Editing
Thomas Wider, Stefan Stabenow
Actor/Actress
Kaja Dymnicki, Grazyna Dylag, Oliver Rosskopf, Magdalena Kronschläger, Thomas Prazak, Marek Wlodarczyk
Production
Filmakademie Wien
Supported by
bm:ukk, Land Salzburg, Land Oberösterreich, Verein der Freunde der Filmakademie Wien
Available Formats
DCP 2K scope (Distribution Copy)
Aspect Ratio
1:2,35 (CinemaScope)
Sound Format
Dolby Surround
Frame Rate
25 fps
Color Format
colour
Digital File (prores, h264)
Festivals (Selection)
2014
Graz - Diagonale, Festival des österreichischen Films