Kekec (film)

Kekec
Kekec
Directed by	Jože Gale
Screenplay by	Jože Gale; Frane Milčinski
Based on	Kekec Above the Lonely Abyss by Josip Vandot
Produced by	Dušan Povh
Starring	Matija Barl; Frane Milčinski; France Presetnik; Zdenka Logar; Jože Mlakar
Cinematography	Ivan Marinček
Edited by	Ivan Marinček
Music by	Marjan Kozina
Production; company	Triglav Film
Distributed by	Vesna film (original); Viba film (current)
Release date	18 December 1951 (Slovenia);
Running time	97 minutes
Countries	Slovenia; Yugoslavia
Language	Slovene

Kekec is a 1951 Slovene/Yugoslavian adventure-youth film directed by Jože Gale. It is based on mountain narrative Kekec Above the Lonely Abyss (Kekec nad samotnim breznom), by Josip Vandot, the last of three stories about Kekec, published in Slovenian youth magazine Zvonček in 1924. The film was produced by Triglav Film and originally distributed by Vesna film, now Viba film. It is set in the northwest part of the Slovenian mountains, mainly in the author's birthplace, Kranjska Gora, and the Julian Alps.

This is the first in the Jože Gale film series about Kekec and has two sequels: Good Luck, Kekec (Srečno, Kekec!) from 1963 and Kekec's Tricks (Kekčeve ukane) from 1968.

More than a thousand children auditioned for casting director Ernest Adamič.

Plot summary

Based on the popular story "Kekec nad samotnim breznom" ("Kekec Above the Lonely Abyss", 1924) by Josip Vandot, the story is close to the original, with added songs and background music. It is set in an idyllic village of the Slovenian mountains where Kekec (Matija Barl), where a young boy lives.

High in the mountains, Bedanec (France Presetnik) leads his solitary life as a widely feared and wicked man. The brave boy Kekec is not afraid of him. When he learns Bedanec victimizes Mojca (Zdenka Logar) and Kosobrin (Frane Milčinski) in his house, Kekec sets out to find them. With his courage and cunning, he sets them free and forces Bedanec to leave for good.[1]

Reception

This is the most popular and successful film in Kekec's film trilogy. It was the first Slovenian film to win an international award, at the 13th Venice International Film Festival in 1952, a Golden Lion recgonizing it as the best film for kids aged 11 to 14.[2][3] It possibly screened at festivals and cinemas in over 60 countries, such as China, where it was part of 1957's Yugoslavian film week.[4]

Cast

Actor	Character	Description
Matija Barl	Kekec	A fearless boy and the story's main character. The character had enormous impact in Slovenian pop culture.
Frane Milčinski	Kosobrin	A tiny and modest old man with long white beard and hat who is gathering herbs.
France Presetnik	Bedanec	Scary and evil wild poacher with long black beard from the mountains.
Zdenka Logar	Mojca	Sister of Rožle, and captured by Bedanec.
Modest Sancin	Mišnjek
Lojze Potokar	oče	Father of Kekec
Vida Levstik	mati	Mother of Kekec
Alenka Lobnikar	Tinka
Jože Mlakar	Rožle	Frightened boy, a friend of Kekec and brother of Mojca.
Drago Zupan	night watchman
Fran Lipah	music spelman	A man who plays a simple instrument.

Photo gallery

Shooting locations

Lokacija	Občina	Opis
Gozd	Tržič	Small village in municipality of Tržič.
Bedančev konec	Kranjska Gora	The most of the film was shot.
Savica Fall	Bohinj	Shooting just under Savica Fall.
Mojstrana	Kranjska Gora	They built a small village set.
Slemenova špica	Kranjska Gora	Scene with theme song: "Dobra volja je najbolja"
Saint Josef Church	Ljubljana	Scene of Gorge with stream.

Film outtakes

Matija Barl (Kekec)
Bedanec and Kekec
Bedanec
film poster
film postcard

Music

The background music and theme tune were written by Slovenian composer Marjan Kozina. Lyrics for the theme song, Kaj mi poje ptičica (Dobra volja je najbolja), were written by Frane Milčinski and performed by Tomaž Tozon with the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.[5]

References

"Kekec's 1951 plot from Slovenian Film Fund site in English". Slovenian Film Fund. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
"Kekec's Tricks in memory of the film father, director Jože Gale" (in Slovenian). MMC RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
"Film was awarded at Venice Film Festival 1952" (in Italian). labiennale.org. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
"Kekec, slovenski filmski junak, ki je osvojil tudi Kitajsko" [Kekec: Slovenian film hero, who went to China] (in Slovenian). MMC RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
"Tomaž Tozon: Od Kekčeve pesmi do življenjskega priznanja" [Tomaž Tozon: from Kekec's theme song to the life achievement award] (in Slovenian). svet24.si. Retrieved 1 January 2017.

External links

Kekec at IMDb

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[1] "Kekec's 1951 plot from Slovenian Film Fund site in English". Slovenian Film Fund. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2017.

[2] "Kekec's Tricks in memory of the film father, director Jože Gale" (in Slovenian). MMC RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 11 May 2013.

[3] "Film was awarded at Venice Film Festival 1952" (in Italian). labiennale.org. Retrieved 1 January 2017.

[4] "Kekec, slovenski filmski junak, ki je osvojil tudi Kitajsko" [Kekec: Slovenian film hero, who went to China] (in Slovenian). MMC RTV Slovenija. Retrieved 2 July 2011.

[5] "Tomaž Tozon: Od Kekčeve pesmi do življenjskega priznanja" [Tomaž Tozon: from Kekec's theme song to the life achievement award] (in Slovenian). svet24.si. Retrieved 1 January 2017.