Initially conceived as a documentary, Iveta Grofová’s debut feature Made in Ash uses a mix of non-professional actors and locals to depict the harsh life altering decisions made by an Eastern Slovakia girl who travels to the West Bohemian town of Aš in the hope of building a better future for herself. We chat to Iveta about her mixed documentary/animation/fiction approach to filmmaking and selection as the Slovak National Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
Made in Ash (2012)
A poignant story about a young girl named Dorotka, who hails from eastern Slovakia. Full of determination and naive expectations regarding her new life; she takes on the job of a seamstress in a small factory on the Czech-German border town of As. Due to the consequences of her own decisions, she is faced with a grim reality in the westernmost corner of the Czech Republic. As is a meeting point for people from both sides of the border. The girls who come to work in the factories would like to earn an honest and decent living, while the relatively well off Germans are in search of an inexpensive good time. As is like a Babylon of languages and morals, which are quickly broken down.
My position has changed to a degree. People now view me more as a filmmaker, not as a friend.
