Fenix

Caring for the sick is not an easy task, especially with the presence of inevitable death behind the corner. Fenix is a probe into the lives of workers who encounter death and its consequences on a daily basis. They soothe the pain of the dying – using palliative care, as well as the close family and friends – by preparing individual funeral ceremonies. The film seeks solace in the eternal symbols of birds, messengers of the unspoken. Finally it comes clear that even death can bring many joyful reconciliations.

František Pecina is a student of documentary directing at FAMO in Písek. His work has undergone a dynamic development, but the main themes of his films remain social probes, for example in Chceme lítat nízko (2022) and historical themes. He combines the effects of history on contemporary society in a close relationship with the landscape in the film Země kopřiv (2023), which deals with the everlasting absence of inhabitans in the Krušné hory mountains. For this film, he received the TV Prima Talent audience award. His latest film Fenix (2024) is an observation of workers caring for the dying and the bereaved.