MAKO SAJKO / Poisons, 1964
PRESENTING EKO 8 ART PROJECTS
MAKO SAJKO / Poisons, 1964
digitalised documentary short film, 14 min
The documentary short film Poisons (1964) shows the other side of the coin of Yugoslavia’s rapid industrialisation of the post-war period. According to the filmmaker, even though there was little to no public discussion about pollution resulting from factory production at the time, he began observing changes occurring in nature when traveling around Slovenia. During a visit near the river Sava, friends pointed out how the clear water obtains a reddish hue after passing a nearby factory. Likewise, friends from Maribor – then as stronghold of Yugoslavia’s industry – lamented how even though they live close to the Pohorje hills, it is rare that they see the hills at all due to smog in the air. This led Sajko to create Poisons, although he claims not to have arrived at making the film for any real concern for the environment, rather from a fascination with the idea of freely letting all sorts of substances in the freshwater systems of Slovenia – the environmental thought had not developed to any substantial extent by that time.
Contrary to documentary filmmaking standards at the time, when, according to Sajko, cameras were sent to record individual scenes, without any preconceived idea of how they would eventually fit into a narrative arc, Sajko created a storyboard for Poisons in order to create a rhythm and relationships between the scenes. The rhythm is enhanced by the peculiar use of music. When searching for a composer, Sajko had two tasks in mind; the music should correspond with each shot, rather than across a long sequence of shots as was common, and no instrument ought to be recognised, claiming violins don’t fit with the abject horror of waste being dumped in waters.
The film had great success at festivals across Europe and was later purchased by American distributers, where it was shown across the nation for the following 27 years. As an early persuasive depiction of the environmental plight and due to it having no narrator nor dialogue, the film carries a universal appeal. This, according to Sajko, has made the film one of the most circulated environmental documentary shorts of all time.
Mako Sajko (b. 1927, Tržič) is a Slovenian filmmaker. He was among the earliest generations of students in post-war Yugoslavia to graduate from the newly established film school in Belgrade. His career spans decades and he has received countless accolades for his work in film, particularly in the genre of documentary short film. His most celebrated and at once controversial short films address social issues, such as suicide, sex work and pollution. His approach to filmmaking is often described as experimental. He is the 2009 recipient of the Badjura Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Slovenian Filmmakers.
