Schwarzfahrer Schwarzfahrer is a six minute short film. It was in 2011 that cameraman Jan Malíř approached me with the suggestion to make a film as a part of a "feature film"entitled "Prague heart of Europe", in which many prominent film directors should be equally represented. Jan is the cameramen who shot the first and last film of the late president Václav Havel : “Leaving”. I have met Jan on the set. (President Havel asked me to choreograph the final scene...) I agreed and decided to shoot the film in an historic Prague tram from 1930. The protagonists are my partner Sabine Kupferberg and the ex NDT dancer Patrick Marin. The theme of this film is a surreal encounter of these two passengers... It is a meeting between a middle aged woman and a young man in a nostalgic trip dashing through time and space filled with memories, which perhaps never even happened. It is a symbol of irrevocable loss of young love on one side and on the other - the only security we have: the arrival at the terminal station... We try to fill our "trip through life" with something meaningful or maybe meaningless... or something just acceptable... but surely we do so with much humour, even if it is as black as anthracite..!
Schubert's Lied “Nacht und Träume” adds unexpected sensuality and intensity to this film.The recording used in this film, was specially made for us by two artists, whose interpretations of Schubert are legendary: the tenor Ian Bostrige and the pianist Julius Drake. “Schwarzfahrer” is a German term for people who use trams without paying the fare. Well - none of us ever bought a ticket for our journey through life! Nobody ever told us which tram to take..?! As a result, we have to change trams often. Occasionally the driver is sick or disabled. Sometimes the timetable is changed! Occasionally there are power cuts, which obviously don't help. But no matter what - one thing is sure - sooner or later we will arrive at our final Destination. Jiří Kylián, May 16, 2013