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