Tomaž Šalamun’s life and work remind us why poets have always been central to the human story. He believed passionately in the power of poetry to “heal the world” by bringing people closer to themselves and to each other. For more than 50 years Šalamun followed the path of a true poet with single-minded determination, at times paying a high price for his total devotion to art.
The film reflects on the formative experiences of his life and shares his unique insights into poetry and the creative process. What emerges is an intimate, multi-layered portrait of an artist who lived for the sake of art, regardless of the consequences, and who worked tirelessly to ignite the spark of creativity in others.
By exploring Šalamun’s life and quest as a poet, the film raises important questions about the nature of freedom, creativity and love.
The documentary film was supported by the Marinko Sudac Collection.
Research support was provided by the Institute for the Research of the Avant-Garde, Zagreb.
A film by Nejc Saje & Jeffrey Young
Running time: 75 minutes
Language: English
Produced by: Strup Produkcija, Pigeon Point, RTV Slovenija
with support from the Slovenian Film Centre
Production: Viva Videnović
Editing: Peter Ban
Music: Ousmane Ag Mossa
Music supervision: Chris Eckman
Sound design: Sašo Kalan
