Lichens are the Way + Q&A
Ondřej Vavrečka / Slovakia / 2024 / 40:00
Lichens are amazing organisms. A combination of a fungus and algae, two life forms that once upon a time decided to enter into symbiosis with each other. Fungi provides shelter to the algae whereas algae provides nutrition to fungi. Therefore, their union is beneficial for both parties. Or in other words: It is better to live together than to live alone.
“Lichens Are The Way” is a loving and thought-provoking close-up study of radically different life forms, and of what happens when we turn our attention to beings and life forms outside our own scale. Imaginative, organic film shot in Canadian wilderness, where lichenologist superstar Trevor Goward and his partner have created a home together in the symbiotic spirit of the object of their studies.
Ondřej Vavrečka is a film director and versatile artist. He pursued his education in filmmaking, including studies at VGIK in Moscow. He is also a musician, often integrating his original compositions into his films. With five feature-length films Vavrečka's work transcends traditional documentary boundaries, aiming for pure artistic vision. His works deal with complex themes, as The Beginning or A Hole. Despite the philosophical approach, his humor brings a frivolous tone to deep topics. His film "Personal Life of A Hole" premiered at DOK.Fest München and was awarded at the Istanbul Experimental Film Festival and Moscow International Experimental Film Festival. It was also honored with the Andrej Stankovič Special Award in the Czech Republic. For almost a decade, he is a film teacher at the Film Academy, Prague (FAMU).