The Shooting

One day on interspecies relationships between humans and animals
In the ARENA, in the LABORATORY, on the RADIO and in FILM

Appearing in the arena will be animals that live with us at home, are kept in the yard or in zoos or that are working in therapy and the entertainment industry. They will be accompanied by their friends, colleagues, clients, shepherds, breeders, patrons and trainers. 17 Czech human-animal pairs that have lived and worked together for a long time will play the leads: an owl and his falconer, a pig and her patient, a guide dog and his trainer, a python and her keeper, a stuffed boar and his taxidermist, the actor fox from Lars von Triers „Anti-christ“ and his manager, to name a few. While their respective portraits will be made in the arena, in the laboratory right next to the arena, a group of German, Austrian and Czech scientists from various fields – biology, anthropology, media studies and cultural studies – will observe and comment on the live performance of the animals. Films, ranging from the avant-garde to the mainstream, will be shown on a number of screens.

Simultaneous translation into Czech, English and Animal is provided.

THE COUPLES IN THE ARENA

Libor Balák is a painter, a pupil of the famous Zdenek Burian’s. The iguana Lina is his companion and object of study.

Ota Bareš is an internationally recognised animal trainer for films; his fox Winnie delivers the famous line “chaos reigns” in Lars von Trier’s film Antichrist.

Jirí Cafourek is a drug centre therapist and beekeeper who looks after a number of hives, which he refers to as “my girls”.

Zuzana Daušová trains assistant dogs and is the cofounder of the Helppes training centre in Prague. The tiny filly Katrijn v. d. Meier accompanies her to work, on the metro and after work to bars.

A visual artist from Prague, Jana Kasalová has carried out many projects on the subject of the relationship between man and animals. She will appear at Plzen zoo with an African spurred tortoise.

Lenka Korínková and Ondrej Pelikán share their personal and professional lives. They both work at the Žleby preserve where they will appear alongside their friends the predators Evžen the great horned owl and the steppe eagle Sofie.

Karel Makon is an animal rescuer who heads a rescue station in Plzen. He will be accompanied by the barn owl Adéla, who is his girlfriend, colleague and flat-mate.

Meda Mládková and Jirí Pospíšil share a key position in (arts) politics in the Czech Republic, engagement in art issues and a love of dogs. The terriers Bennie, Beata and Leo accompany them to exhibitions, on walks and to photo sessions.

Tereza Porubová is a Plzen teacher of English. The hen Pipka is a member of her family and thinks she is another animal, evidently a dog.

Taxidermist Milan Rácek accompanied by stuffed female warthog. They met after life.

The actress and director Susanne Sachsse will appear with her new friend, a Siamese crocodile from Plzen zoo. They are just getting acquainted.

Petra Soukupová is a novelist (To the Sea, 2007 / Disappear, 2009) and dramaturge. The boxer Pula is a member of her family.

Lucie Sujová is a forestry worker and an active member of the Czech Club of Owners of Pigs Reared Domestically. The pig Pinky watches out for and supports her.

Martin Vobruba loves his job as Plzen zoo spokesman. Together with the python regius Božena he lectures to children and young people at schools about the coexistence of people and animals.

An actor from a famous acting family, Václav Vydra built the Institute of Holistic Care for Horses on his farm. The Czech Warmblood Demon and Gustav will accompany him.

A selection of artist short films and videos, from the 1960s to the present, that documents a fascination for adorable dogs, cute cats, luminescent moths, dirty pigs and other arresting animals and insects, whether living or dead. These narrative, documentary and avant-garde works turn to the animal world for aesthetic innovation, allegorical storytelling and perceptual experimentation, a.o.: Stan Brakhage, Guillaume Cailleau, Ewa Einhorn/Jeuno Je Kim, NEOZOON, Jean Painlevé, Chen Sheinberg, Ken Wardrobe, Joyce Wieland, Wil-liam Wegman, and Pavel Wojtasik, curated by Susanne Sachsse.

The most successful animal scenes from films by Robert Besson, Stan Brackage, Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack John Cassavetes, Denis Côté, George Cukor, David Cronenberg, Birgit Hein, Jean Luc Godard, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Birgit Hein, Peter Greenaway, Werner Herzog, Peter Jackson, Georg Kuchar, John Landis, Curt McDowell, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Nicolas Philiberts, Nagisa Oshima, Volker Schlöndorf, Jacques Tourneur, Lars von Trier, and Thierry Zeno are presented with audio commentaries by different researchers and theorists.

The film “Staying with the Trouble” about the work of Donna Haraway will have its worldwide preview in Pilsen, with a 25 minute excerpt. This film is a collaboration between Fabrizio Terranova and Irina Guimbretière and portrays the famous American theorist who repeatedly caused havoc in academia, particularly in the fields of social sciences and philosophy. The film shows thinking in motion, interwoven stories, archive footage, science fiction companion species from Youtube and joyful talks in her garden and the Californian forest.

Concept: Hannah Hurtzig

Curator film program:Susanne Sachsse, Berlin

Photographer: Pola Sieverding, Berlin

Moderator: Anita Krausová, Prague

Performer:Susanne Sachsse and Lukas Hofmann, Prague

Project coordination Goethe-Institut Prague: Monika Loderová and Jakob Racek

Project coordination Mobile Academy Berlin: Cristina Navarro, Berlin

Project manager Prague: Anna Friedländer

Floor manager:Sarah Lewis, Mobile Academy Berlin

Research:Arnika Ahldag, Mobile Academy Berlin

Stage design and drawing:Florian Stirnemann, Berlin

Technical director Pilsen: Jirí Kunc

Audio equipment: Ellerbrock Konferenztechnik e.K., Berlin

Simultaneous translation:Lucie Bransten, Prague and Olga Stankova, Prague

Staff: Katja Bock, Prague; Vladka Boudová, Pilsen; Martina Patoçková, Prague; Veronika Hilbert, Prague; Kristýna Winkelhöferová, Pilsen

Signet, poster & billboards:Ta-Trung, Berlin

Sound editing: Tito Knapp, Berlin

Film editing:Philipp Hochleichter, Mobile Academy Berlin

Voice over:Jana Doudova, Berlin; Daniel Hendrickson, Berlin

Commentaries for film clips:Karin Harrasser, Linz; Ute Holl, Basel; Cord Riechelmann, Berlin; Marc Siegel, Berlin

Documentation: Stanislav Adámek , Prague; Radim Lapcík, Prague; Marek Matvija, Prague

special thanks to: Mai Wegener and Pierre Becker (Ta-Trung)

Why We Talk to Animals – a project of the Mobile Academy Berlin and the Goethe Institut Prague, held as part of the European Capital of Culture 2015 Pilsen. With the friendly assistance of the Zoological and Botanical Garden of the City of Pilsen and the National Gallery Prague.