My name is Janez Janša

Since our name change, my colleagues and I were investigating issues such as identity vs identification, multiplicity vs multiplication, the name as an interface between the private and the public, and the personal name as a brand.
We then started to tour with our performative lectures entitled “NAME Readymade”. In the last four years we had more then 35 public presentations at various festivals, museums, galleries and universities around the world.

It is from this experience that the script for the movie “My Name Is Janez Jansa” started to take shape. While modelling it I was taking into consideration feedbacks I’ve got from the audience. So, in a way, this project had an element of crowdsourcing since its early stage.

Today we are presenting “NAME Readymade” again and, this time, on two different continents in the same day!

I’ll be doing it at Uppsala Stadsteater in Sweeden in the frame of the Festival TUPP
http://www.uppsalastadsteater.se/forestallningar-2011-2012/name-readymade/

whereas Janez will be doing it at the Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island during an event entitled “Performing Under Pressure”: Life, Labor, and Art in the Academy. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

Janez

As written in my yesterday’s blog some Slovenian conservative media published rumours that the movie is: “shocking and offensive to the extreme. It is no art, but merely pornography.” Jožko Rutar, Director of Slovenian Film Centre has done a detailed analysis of the entire film, and found that the images are in accordance with the course of the story and we could not talk about pornographic material, because viewer do not see the genitals of the performers, not even in a single frame of the film. Despite that the weekly Reporter, close to the right wing government, lead by my namesake Janez Janša was not convinced. So we decided to publish this part of the film and let you decide whether is this pornography or not. In this clip the performer Vaginal Davis is talking about the nicknames he uses as an artist – as a poet, writer, photographer…-among other he talks about the role of a men Drag Queer in the movie Hustler White (1996), directed by Bruce LaBruce and Rick Castro. This is followed by 1 second and 22 frames long scene of sexual intercourse between two men, accompanied by five other men.

*****
After publishing this clip online few days ago, we now decided to remove it. More than 3000 users watched it and made up their mind about it. Now it’s the time to move on (as the movie is not only about that scene) and to show you other interesting excerpts from the movie.
*****

If you want to help this film to see the world click: www.verkami.com/projects/1752-janez-jansa/lang/en
More clips will follow in the next days!

I do not mean my namesake, who leads the Slovenian government which is cutting costs of welfare state, but the emerging documentary film “My name is Janez Janša.” In recent days few of Slovenian media published rumours that the movie is: “shocking and offensive to the extreme. It is no art, but merely pornography.” Weekly Reporter, close to the right wing government, published this rumour as the lead story on the cover of this week’s issue. Journalist Biserka Karneža Cerjak, who actually did not see the film, wrote the story based on the testimony of “eyewitness” who saw the unfinished film. Eyewitness was disturbed by the part of the movie, where performer Vaginal Davis is talking about the nicknames he uses as an artist – as a poet, writer, photographer…-among other he talks about the role of a men Drag Queer in the movie Hustler White (1996), directed by Bruce LaBruce and Rick Castro. This is followed by 48 frames, less than 2 seconds long scene of sexual intercourse between two men, accompanied by five other men.

The story began last week when Gregor Pajić, director of the Viba Film studios (financial supporter of the film) heard this rumour about controversy in the film. Based on what he heard, he asked Slovenian Film Centre (SFC), who is also financially supporting the film, for an explanation. He also informed Miro Petek, currently General Director of the Directorate for Media, about the matter. Petek is a member of leading government party Slovenian Democratic Party, led by my namesake Janez Janša. Jožko Rutar, Director of SFC has done a detailed analysis of the entire film, and found that the images are accordance with the course of the story and we could not talk about pornographic material, because viewer do not see the genitals of the performers, not even in a second of the film.

Despite all facts Mrs. Karneža Cerjak was not convinced, although she did not see the film yet. She is continuing her story, based on an eyewitness testimony. In a few days we will publish this “controversial” part of the film, and you will judge for yourself who is right.

PS: Despite all the complications we are trying to publish the film as soon as possible. In doing so, you can help too. Click:
www.verkami.com/projects/1752-janez-jansa/lang/en

Janez Janša