Memories come alive in an animated documentary to help uncover just how much power historical grievances and family secrets have over our present. Here, in the heart of Europe, nearly all families keep some secrets. The director sets out to trace the steps of her family’s history. With a delicate, personal approach, she has collected the tales of a generation changed by tough decisions made by politicians in the post-WWII era in a land of mixed nationalities called Felvidék – the Upper Land. This film is a reflection on the still relevant subject of Slovak-Hungarian relations, which remains sensitive. What cannot be narrated by the witnesses of that era nor film archives is filled in by animated stories. Jana Kirschner’s magical and captivating music underlines the author’s unusually intense storytelling.

Slovakia, Czech Republic