KT 085: I’m Not Everything I Want To Be (Klára Tasovská, 2024)
Amelia takes a look at one of the gems of the Czech & Slovak Film Festival
I’m Not Everything I Want To Be
Klára Tasovská, 2024
DCP Courtesy: Square Eyes
Classification: M15+
Words by Amelia Leonard
Running from the 10th - 20th of October in Melbourne, the Czech & Slovak Film Festival of Australia features over 25 films across live-action, animation, documentary and restorations. As a member of the programming team, Amelia Leonard reviews a standout film in the festival's program.
Alienation, existentialism and vulnerability permeate Klára Tasovská’s captivating portrait of prolific Czech photographer, Libuše Jarcovjáková. As a figure of non-conformity and resilience, determined to carve out a life of her own against societal oppression, her decade-spanning body of work has amassed attention in the art world in recent years. Jarcovjáková’s story is sensitively told by Tasovská, whose inventive approach won an audience nomination for Best Documentary at this year’s Berlinale. Whereas other filmmakers may have chosen a more conventional approach to documentary via talking heads or re-enactments, Tasovská tells her subjects' story solely through the artist’s own photographs and journal entries. Although a film made up entirely of static images might risk becoming monotonous, Tasovská crafts a world that is vivid, complex and dynamic, so much so that one forgets that the film’s 90-minute runtime is actually made up of still photographs. By weaving together intimate moments and broader political themes, I’m Not Everything I Want to Be becomes more than just a biography; it serves as a timeless and relevant commentary on what it is to be human, an artist, and, most importantly, a woman in the world at large.
Jarcovjáková can be seen as belonging to an evolving canon of female artists throughout the 20th century whose experiences as women, and thus their artistic output, are intrinsically linked to their marginalised place within society, highlighting voices that have traditionally been left to the periphery. Thematic parallels can be drawn between Nan Goldin, whose work largely revolves around the clashing of autonomy and dependency in male-female relationships, or Diane Arbus, whose photography focused on outcasts at the fringes of society. For Jarcovjáková, her coming-of-age under the repressive Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia propelled her creative output, which would come to explore queer identity, body image, and unapologetic self-expression.
Despite growing up in the regime’s oppressive clutches, Jarcovjáková managed to live a rather extraordinary life. The film unfolds against periods of major political and social upheaval - from her early life under Socialist rule in Prague, to the collapse of the Berlin wall, and through the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union. As the film delves into Jarcovjáková’s life, her artistic sensibilities and curiosities as a photographer fold into her instinctual desire to understand her place within a particular environment, shaping the film’s deeply personal narrative. We observe Jarcovjáková in a range of settings: at home, in her various jobs from the printing press, to the studio, in the company of both male and female lovers, and even at the hospital for an abortion. We see the artist as she moves from new apartments in various cities, from the pervasive loneliness she experienced during her time in Japan, to later finding a sense of community within the queer nightlife scene of 1980s Prague - this dichotomy of togetherness and isolation frequently resurface throughout. What stands out amongst these events is her desire to capture incredibly personal moments as they unfold. In a scene where Jarcovjáková and her husband break up, we almost forget that these are not staged photographs, that even as these events were happening in real time, Jarcovjáková's instinct for self-reflection remains present.
Tasovská's direction takes the film beyond a mere assemblage of photos. Its rhythmic, lyrical editing and immersive sound design being an immense strength of the film and its key stylistic feature. As Jarcovjáková’s photographs often capture people and places in motion through a series of successive images, it lays the foundation for Tasovská to stitch together moments that feel like fully animated sequences, where the viewer effectively has the illusion of moving through space. Montage also directly links to Jarcovjáková’s mental state where, with the help of editor Alexander Kascheev, they create a unique play with temporality. The literal speed of Jarcovjáková’s photographs on the screen match periods of excitement, joy and liveliness in the artist's life, equally becoming languid, slow, and drawn out in Jarcovjáková’s periods of depression and alienation. In addition, the sound design brings these sequences to life. By incorporating foley, ambient noise and music that feels diegetic, Tasovská brings the viewer into a particular time and space - through elements like clinking glasses at a club, the sound of car motors on a busy streetscape, or ambient chatter in someone’s home.
As its title suggests, the question of becoming “everything [you] want to be” drives the film’s examination of Jarcovjáková’s life. As a consequence, we are not only left to consider the artist’s lifelong journey toward attaining her personal desires and professional goals, but are forced to reflect on our own sense of identity and pursuit of self-actualisation. There’s a distinct sense that Jarcovjáková has been trying to get somewhere her whole life, and for someone whose work has revolved around the desire to belong, transience and ephemerality emerge as an ironic constant. Even in the film’s final moments, Jarcovjáková’s voiceover states “I think I’ll never stop asking myself who I really am”, and it seems that true liberation is to accept that finding one’s self is an ongoing journey that may never truly end.
I’m Not Everything I Want to Be screens exclusively on October 20 at Classic Cinemas. You can explore the Czech & Slovak Film Festival of Australia’s full program here.
WEEKLY FILM LISTINGS
10 Oct - 16 Oct
Special Events!!
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ Thornbury Picture House
Godplex + Filmmaker Q and A
Darcy Gladwin
Screening Tuesday @ 8:30pm
New Releases
The Apprentice
Ali Abbasi, 2024
Screening Everywhere
A Different Man
Aaron Schimberg, 2024
Screening at most arthouse cinemas
Ghostlight
Alex Thompson, 2024
Screening at Nova
Greedy People
Potsy Ponciroli, 2024
Screening at Nova
Focus on Mohammad Rasoulof
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (دانهی انجیر معابد)
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024
Screening Thursday
The White Meadows (کشتزارهای سپید)
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2009
Screening Friday
Manuscripts Don't Burn (دستنوشتهها نمیسوزند)
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2013
Screening Saturday
A Man of Integrity (لِرد)
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2017
Screening Saturday
The Twilight (گاگومان)
Mohammad Rasoulof, 2002
Screening Monday
Focus on Thai Horror
Nang Nak (นางนาก)
Nonzee Nimibutr, 1999
Screening Thursday
Seniors Film Festival (FREE)
Tony Takitani (トニー滝谷)
Jun Ichikawa, 2004
Screening Thursday
Drive My Car
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, 2021
Screening Fri
Burning
Lee Chang-dong, 2018
Screening Sat
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman (Saules aveugles, femme endormie)
Pierre Földes, 2023
Screening Sun
Norwegian Wood
Trần Anh Hùng, 2010
Screening Wed
MIFF Encore Screening
Universal Language
Matthew Rankin, 2024
Screening Friday
Flow
Gints Zilbalodis, 2024
Screening Saturday
No screening this week
ASTOR CINEMA
The Hidden Fortress
Akira Kurosawa, 1958
Screening Thursday
Parthenope
Paolo Sorrentino, 2024
Screening Friday
Ikiru
Akira Kurosawa, 1952
Screening Saturday
I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoneburn, 2024
Screening Saturday
Yojimbo
Akira Kurosawa, 1961
Screening Sunday
Sanjuro
Akira Kurosawa, 1962
Screening Sunday
Throne of Blood
Akira Kurosawa, 1957
Screening Sunday
High and Low
Akira Kurosawa, 1963
Screening Monday
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
Closed until 2025
No screening this week
CHINATOWN CINEMA
High Forces
Oxide Chun Pang & Chi-Leung Law
Screening Daily
Joker: Folie à Duex
Todd Phillips, 2024
Screening Daily
Stand by Me
Yin Ruo Xin, 2024
Screening Daily
Go for Broke
Marc Ma, 2024
Screening Mon & Wed
Enjoy Yourself (Zhu Ni Xing Fu)
Bo Kang, 2024
Screening Tues
CINÉ-CLUB (Carlton)
Coming back in some variety soon
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death
John D. Hancock, 1971
Screening Saturday @ 6:30pm
Events
Check sites for rep titles
Release
Joker: Folie à Duex
Todd Phillips, 2024
Screening Daily
The Critic
Craig Armstrong, 2024
Screening at most arthouse cinemas
Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola, 2024
Screening Daily
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat, 2024
Screening Daily
Bonnard, Pierre and Marthe
Maurice Pialat, 2023
Screening at most arthouse screens
Kid Snow
Paul Goldman, 2024
Screening at most arthouse cinemas
Last Summer
Catherine Breillet, 2023
Screening Daily
Kneecap
Rich Peppiatt, 2023
Screening Daily
I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun, 2023
Screening Thurs
Alien: Romulus
Fede Álvarez, 2024
Screening Daily
Strange Darling
Jacqueline Lentzou, 2024
Screening Daily
Longlegs
Graham Verchere, 2024
Screening Daily
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
Liu Jia, 2024
Screening Daily
Kinds of Kindness
Yorgos Lanthimos, 2024
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: @ Miscellania
Coming back kinda soon
EXPERIMENTAL FILM CLUB
Listings coming soon
Done for now, will return soon
GAY24 (Bar Flippy’s)
No screening this week
HITLIST (9 Gertrude St, Fitzroy)
Shut for now
LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO
Events
Check sites for rep titles
General Release
Joker: Folie à Duex
Todd Phillips, 2024
Screening Everywhere
The Critic
Craig Armstrong, 2024
Screening at most arthouse cinemas
Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola, 2024
Screening Daily
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat, 2024
Screening Daily
My Old Ass
Megan Park, 2024
Screening Daily
Last Summer
Catherine Breillet, 2023
Screening Daily
Kneecap
Rich Peppiatt, 2023
Screening Daily
I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun, 2023
Screening Thurs
Alien: Romulus
Fede Álvarez, 2024
Screening Daily
Strange Darling
Jacqueline Lentzou, 2024
Screening Daily
OVA CLUB
No screening this week
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)
The Ogre of Athens
Nikos Koundouros, 1956
Screening Wednesday 16 Oct 7:00pm
+
Young Aphrodites
Nikos Koundouros, 1963
Screening Wednesday 16 Oct 9:05pm
TOP OF THE HEAP (Tramway Hotel)
No screening this week
Blood Ritual
Chopping Mall
Jim Wynorski, 1986
Screening Saturday October 12 @ 8:30pm
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY: SCREENING IDEAS
No screening this week
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / MOONEE PONDS / WESTGARTH
St Ali Film Festival
Tix and info available here!
General Release
Joker: Folie à Duex
Todd Phillips, 2024
Screening daily
The Critic
Craig Armstrong, 2024
Screening daily
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat, 2024
Screening Daily
A Difficult Year
Olivier Nakache & Éric Toledano
Screening at most arthouse screens
Megalopolis
Francis Ford Coppola, 2024
Screening at most arthouse screens
My Old Ass
Megan Park, 2024
Screening at most arthouse screens
Bonnard, Pierre and Marthe
Maurice Pialat, 2023
Screening at most arthouse screens
Kid Snow
Paul Goldman, 2024
Screening at most arthouse cinemas
Kneecap
Rich Peppiatt, 2023
Screening Daily
I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun, 2023
Screening Thurs
Alien: Romulus
Fede Álvarez, 2024
Screening Daily
Longlegs
Oz Perkins, 2024
Screening Daily
Kinds of Kindness
Yorgos Lanthimos, 2024
Screening Daily
The Bikeriders
Jeff Nichols, 2024
Screening Daily
No screening this week
No listings this week / click link above to see what’s on (their site too hard to list)
Eno
Gary Hustwit, 2024
Screening Thu
The Apprentice
Ali Abbasi, 2024
Screening almost daily
Joker: Folie à Duex
Todd Phillips, 2024
Screening Thu, Fri and Wed
Your Fat Friend + Q and A
Jeanie Finlay, 2023
Screening Sat, Sun & Tue
Voice
Screening Sunday and Monday
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ Thornbury Picture House
Godplex + Filmmaker Q and A
Darcy Gladwin
Screening Tuesday @ 8:30pm