Institute History
Description
Although the recent troubled history of Eastern Europe has received global attention, Westerners rarely have a chance to understand the psyche of its people. Set in newly formed Slovenia, Predictions of Fire powerfully articulates current personal and political sentiment in this country, focusing on the resistance art group, Laibach.
Both embracing and countering its nation’s history, Laibach incorporates cultural and political mythology into music and visual and performance art. The film explores the radically changing role of art in Eastern Europe—from serving only as propaganda for the Stalinist government to vocalizing the true sentiment of the citizens. Stunning archival footage relates the complicated and troubled history of Slovenia, as well as other countries emerging from the former Yugoslavia. Predictions of Fire is a highly intriguing document about the way a country’s history dictates its collective attitudes, both fears and aspirations. Predictions of Fire resonates way beyond the freshly drawn boundaries of Slovenia as it contemplates the pattern of art in other totalitarian movements, such as Nazism and fascism. Laced with footage, sounds, and music from Laibach performances, the film is a highly atmospheric portrayal of life in Eastern Europe that works on both visceral and intellectual levels.