Knjiga rekorda Sutke

What a wonderful, warm, funny, and utterly ridiculous documentary look at the Gypsy town of Shutka in Macedonia! Reminiscent of the great Kusturica's gypsy films, it's filled with even more ridiculous characters - yet, it is no work of fiction; according to the director, everything it depicts is completely true! Shot in a town located outside Skopje in Macedonia that was built right on the former city dump ("shut" = waste in Roma) and populated by seemingly absolutely nutty but life-loving people, it reminded me of both the Soviet towns on the provincial outskirts - in reality, and another great Czech documentary, "Czech Dream" - on celluloid. There must be something about the Czech documentary movie making that's making it more interesting to watch than 90% of fiction movies out there.

It was funny to see a couple of guys - particularly squeamish audience members - walk out of the theater when a cow slaughter, by the old method, knife under the skull, was briefly shown. I guess people prefer to think beef comes from the supermarket shelves...

No one has ever succeeded in putting the infectiousness of a mood on screen as Manic does, with his exhilarating and original documentary capturing the essence of Shutka, the Roma capital, where every man claims to be a champion. The documentary is a unique book of records, which tells us the story of people who fight with vampires, collect Turkish tapes, spend a fortune on circumcision of young boys just for show and, of course, party. The characters that Manic depicts in his documentary may be described as a very democratic group, where everyone is accepted the way they are: straight, gay, sane, insane. The documentary is highly charged with emotion, but is witty and funny at the same time. Must see!

In a small city in Macedonia, there are record holders, believe it or not. One man has the best collection of tape recordings, another one is the best vampire hunter for miles around. As the narrator of the film goes from story to story, one sees the indomitable spirit of a city in the former Yugoslavia, a city that is not exactly prosperous but is rich in color. From the gentleman who has the most suits to the septegenarian with a toddler son, here is a telling of the weird and mundane tales that make life an adventure. This is just an okay movie at best, despite the diverse inhabitants of the town. Perhaps it is the script, as the stories keep coming, with no intersection and no pizazz. That is not to say that the film is unwatchable, only that the viewer may tire of the movie before reaching the end. For those of you who like offbeat films with an eye for the bizarre journey we call life, try to find this foreign film. One can even see a teacher showing part of the movie to her students, then letting them write their own "world records" for the classroom. But, as a landmark cinematic achievement, this one falls far short of its goal.

This one defies description. I can tell you it's a documentary on the Roma people, but think of it more as a series of sketches by real-life Borats. Yet, don't be misled into thinking it's some forced slapstick. It's utterly real, which makes it even more absurd and hilarious than Borat, while also giving it this intense humanity, a poignant warmth. It's one of the most disarming looks at human nature I've ever seen, exposing our frivolity and delusions without being mean, condescending or condemning.

For what it is - a partial look at the Roma community, focusing on their lovable quirks more than their faults - this movie succeeds brilliantly. Would recommend it unqualifiedly, without reservation.

I saw this film in the Cork film festival 2 days ago and it was by far my favorite. I was smiling the whole way through. Such a simple but effective idea, and despite how off the wall the characters are I think everyone knows someone like at least one of them. You also get a rare insight into the life of the Roma people. The fact that the narrator knows the people and the town personally makes the film more honest, and even though it's kind of satirical I think it was done in an affectionate way! It's amazing to see a place so close geographically and so far away in every other aspect. I actually want to go to Shutka now, and become a champion of something myself!:)