{"id":181,"date":"2014-02-14T13:04:40","date_gmt":"2014-02-14T13:04:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arsmedia.si\/?p=181"},"modified":"2014-02-21T13:16:39","modified_gmt":"2014-02-21T13:16:39","slug":"kocbek-a-poet-in-the-abyss-of-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arsmedia.si\/en\/documentary-films\/kocbek-a-poet-in-the-abyss-of-history","title":{"rendered":"Kocbek, A Poet in the Abyss of History"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"EdvardGenre: full-length documentary film
\nDuration: 90 min
\nYear: 2004
\nScreenplay: Helena Koder
\nDirector: Miran Zupani\u010d
\nAssociate: dr. Andrej InkretFeaturing: Viktor Bla\u017ei\u010d, dr. France Bu\u010dar, Ervin Frit, dr. Mihael Glavan, Janez Gradi\u0161nik, Janez Stanovnik, dr. Spomenka Hribar, dr. Andrej Inkret, Jurij Kocbek, Matja\u017e Kocbek, Tone Pav\u010dek, dr. Janko Kos, dr. Edvard Kova\u010d, Peter Kova\u010di\u010d Per\u0161in, Pino Mlakar, Vinko O\u0161lak, Boris Pahor, Jo\u017ee Penca, Alojz Rebula, dr. Franc Rode in dr. Peter Vodopivec.<\/p>\n

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Story<\/span><\/h3>\n

When the reader with a little historical memory or knowledge, goes after Edvard Kocbek’s (1904 – 1981) work, he suddenly, willingly or unwillingly, together with the poet finds himself immersed in history. Why is reader by reading diaries, essays, short stories and even poems forced in a historical dialogue with the author?
\nSlovenian nation entered the twentieth century with no democratic experience, laden with the undefined heritage of clericalism and modest freethinking tradition. Marked by two totalitarian regimes, fascism and communism, Kocbek\u2019s era is replete with traumatic moments, significant events and fateful decisions. Kocbek did not only strongly react to them, but in his creative zeal also activated them. Thus, his artistic, intellectual and political destiny is closely linked with all the knots and wounds of the nation’s recent history, with all the issues on which we have not yet received full answers. This somehow makes difficult ‘literary’ approach to its work and force the reader to evaluate the role of the poet in Slovenian history.
\nIt seems we know a lot about Kocbek: after all here are his diaries and collected works, which were carefully edited and well commented by Dr. Andrej Inkret. He found, so to say, all relevant material written about Kocbek, including his private letters and Communist Party and UDBA (Yugoslavian secret police) minutes. Dr. Andrej Inkret found all material, which was accessible. But those diaries, which disappeared from the poet’s locked apartment one summer, were aperently lost into the police archives. We can only hope not forever.
\nAll accessible material were available for the present film. A special feature of the film – and maybe this is an advantage – lies in the fact that we had to use this complex and rich substance in a limited time, ninety minutes. More than that: to all collected material we added testimonials of many Kocbek’s contemporaries: sons, friends, acquaintances, poets and historical interpreters. And also the testimony of his most faithful friend, the writer Boris Pahor. And here is the resulting story of Kocbek’s sinking into history.
\nThis story is made with a single purpose: to release us from the prevailing historical notions and reveal Kocbek at his best. As a poet. In this poet also exists a politician and a moralist, an intellectual and a mystic, an ascetic and a lustful, in short, if I am expressed as a poet, entire Kocbek’s human being. Increasingly, it appears that this is the man who once upon a time, at the beginning of its journey, laid under the night sky and whispered to comrades, “I’m bagging you, weight me with heavy stones, or I will hastily fall from earth to the universe!<\/p>\n

Gallery<\/h3>\n\n\t\t