NEVER HAPPENED

In the mid-1990s, the son of Slovak president Michal Kováč is kidnapped. One of the perpetrators, Oskar F., defects and confesses publicly – his friend Robo is assassinated shortly thereafter. The case has continued to polarise Slovak society into the present. As the state intelligence service’s involvement becomes increasingly clear, Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar proclaims the whole thing simply “never happened”. Setting out to present evidence to the contrary, Director Barbora Berezňáková manages to unearth photographs, archival materials, associated locations and central figures. Her film offers both emotional access to the story and an innovative stylistic approach.