In 2003 two Czech film students made international news when they used an arts council grant to create a huge marketing campaign for a non-existent hypermarket – and to make a film about the whole scam. This is the film!
Screened as part of NZIFF 2005
Czech Dream 2004
Cesky sen
In 2003 two Czech film students made international news when they used an arts council grant to create a huge marketing campaign for a non-existent hypermarket – and to make a film about the whole scam. This is the film, a mischievous exploration of the levels of delusion fuelling consumerism in an economy still finding its place in the capitalist world. With pro bono assistance from young ad agency geniuses who are happy to mislead the public, but draw the line at outright lies, they bombard the citizens of Prague with billboards, leaflet drops, and a lavish TV campaign featuring a fulsome choral score appealing to Czech patriotism. The ‘Czech’ dream of plentiful cheap goods is of course a global one – and the appeal to nationalism in this campaign is as cynical as the appeal to ‘Kiwis’ in advertising here for countless imported commodities. As we see the ease with which the two hoax artists enlist marketing industry support, the scenario becomes increasingly intriguing: how many people will be suckered – and how will the perpetrators deal with the fallout? — BG