Fragments of Kubelka

This epic documentary subtly introduces the complex world view of iconic filmmaker and theoretician Peter Kubelka (born 1934, Vienna). While Kubelka´s radical and pioneering body of films is a highly condensed work of about an hour focussing on the essence of cinema, his legendary lectures often unfold over many hours. These lectures on "what is cinema" and "cooking as an art form" are frequently illuminated by presentation of archaeological objects from Kubelka´s eclectic collection. He considers his ongoing collecting to be an expanded film practice which explores the evolution of humanity. Martina Kudláček has carefully woven an open-ended portrait which goes beyond the biographical to reveal fresh insights into the phenomenon of film.

(production note)


The filmmaker Jonas Mekas wrote:
“Kubelka´s cinema is like a piece of crystal, or some other object of nature: It doesn´t look like it was produced by man; one could easily conceive that it was picked up from among the organic treasures of nature.”

A pillar of experimental cinema and film culture, Peter Kubelka has made only eight brief movies. But all are visceral, material celebrations of the medium of film. Fragments of Kubelka delves into these audiovisually inventive films, but Kubelka addresses much more here than his own modernist oeuvre. He spins out theories that run deep: An opening sequence at his kitchen table leads into an insightful, elemental discussion of ancient tools, and later samples of his culinary lectures demonstrate his abiding belief in the primacy of food. Kudláček's nearly four-hour film remains personally appealing and rather wondrous. If Fragments of Kubelka demands an investment of time, Kubelka rewards it.

(Nicolas Rapold)

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