Parsifalky

A documentary theatre installation about running away from home, dysfunctional families, and institutional care.

This work continues the previous parts of the "Parsifal" project, which were presented at the festival in the previous two years, and develops the collaboration between director Apolena Vanišová and clients of an institutional care facility. Adult women with experience in educational institutions join the group of boys. The story of Parsifal gains a female dimension and adult life experience. A meeting of generations around one table brings themes of running away from home, broken family bonds, and ambitions that collided with the system. What happens to childhood dreams after leaving the walls of the institution, and how hard is it to simply walk away in the night?

"When I first ran away from home, I was about seven. I was afraid to go home because I'd get beaten again. I ran to my grandmother's and thought I could stay there. Once I ran away, I kept running. Then came the breaking point. My mother beat me so badly that something inside me broke. And I started doing things differently." - Lucie

"At Počátkách I finished ninth grade almost with honors. Big ambitions, photography school, graphic design. I loved it. After school, home, studying, great grades... but my grandparents didn't like it and I just kept hearing I should go back to Počátkách, to the institution. So I thought: 'Well, it's time to take my life into my own hands.' One night I packed and left home." - Sofie

Concept and realization: Apolena Vanišová
Visual collaboration: Johana Střížková
Technical support: Tomáš Mládek and Petr Zábrodský
Pedagogical collaboration: Bohdana Košťálová
Cast: David, Jakub, Jan, Lucie, Milan, Nicolas, Patrik and Sofie
Producer: Ewa Zembok, Rekultur production platform