Kandidát is a Slovak foreign language film that follows the story
of a hotly contested Slovakian presidential election.
The film, which is based on the novel Kandidát (Denníky z odpočúvania) written by Maros Hecko and Michal Havran, talks
about the cynical nature of national leadership elections.
Kandidát also sheds light on how political campaigns consist of the large-scale manipulation of the public.
Kandidát also sheds light on how political campaigns consist of the large-scale manipulation of the public.
Synopsis
Kandidát’s main character is Adam Lambert, a rich and influential businessman who owns a successful advertising agency in Slovakia. With only two months until the Slovak presidential election, Lambert takes on a job to run a political campaign to take votes away from the favoured projected election winners.
However, everything changes one night when Lambert gets into a heated argument with one of his rivals. Said rival just happens to work for the popular opposition.
Lambert is the kind of guy who always gets what he wants.
Always. So, he decides to go all in,
as they say. He bets his entire fortune on his unknown candidate winning the
presidency.
Thus begins the thrilling and entertaining story of Kandidát.
The remainder of the film follows Lambert as he tries to build a successful
political campaign from scratch.
The film follows him as he dives into the Slovak political scene as he tries to sway the minds and hearts of the entire national public.
The film follows him as he dives into the Slovak political scene as he tries to sway the minds and hearts of the entire national public.
It’s important to note that he doesn’t even have someone to
play the role as the politician. So how will he do it?
Important Themes
Kandidát touches on a host of issues relating to the cynical and manipulative nature of political elections.
In today's world, almost everything is polarised when it
comes to politics.
Political parties are becoming more cutthroat with their practices. And in turn the general public are becoming more vocal with their beliefs, at times even pressing them on others forcibly. Much of this has to do with the present political climate as well as the marketing that leads towards gaining votes.
Political parties are becoming more cutthroat with their practices. And in turn the general public are becoming more vocal with their beliefs, at times even pressing them on others forcibly. Much of this has to do with the present political climate as well as the marketing that leads towards gaining votes.
In traditional times, elections were widely done on stages
and political rallies. But as time has passed technology has changed, and so
with it the ways way communicate.
The inventions of the radio, television and the computer have each individually lead to huge changes across broad society, which have lead to the creation of other technologies that we use daily today. One such invention is the internet.
The inventions of the radio, television and the computer have each individually lead to huge changes across broad society, which have lead to the creation of other technologies that we use daily today. One such invention is the internet.
The internet is probably one of the most influential and
important inventions in modern times.
It is how we store, find and receive information. As well as how we communicate with people, no matter if they are in the same building as you or if they are on the opposite side of the globe. So it’s unsurprising that political campaigns largely exist on the internet and is the main artery to get messages out to the public.
It is how we store, find and receive information. As well as how we communicate with people, no matter if they are in the same building as you or if they are on the opposite side of the globe. So it’s unsurprising that political campaigns largely exist on the internet and is the main artery to get messages out to the public.
Communication is direct from the politician/party to the
consumer and with it all of the information they want to convey. The main tool
that political campaigns use to spread information is social media.
Social
media is something that absolutely everyone uses in this connected world of
ours. It is the main way we share information and communicate.
Statistics even show that most people receive their news from social media. Which has in turn led to the spread of ‘Fake News’ across almost every single social media platform (especially on Twitter and Facebook).
Statistics even show that most people receive their news from social media. Which has in turn led to the spread of ‘Fake News’ across almost every single social media platform (especially on Twitter and Facebook).
In a world where everyone and everything is interconnected, social
media is becoming more intimately apart of people’s lives. Because of this, it’s
easy to see why so many people get emotionally invested in political campaigns
and the spread of information (may that be real
or fake news, well that’s up for you
to decide).
Altogether, it is easy to see why social media is the most
valuable tool for those organizing political campaigns. Kandidát does a great
job of alluding to this.
Conclusion
All in all Kandidát is most definitely worth a watch.
The film is dark, funny and thrilling. It tells a very current story set in an always changing, always uncertain Balkan region.
You don’t usually hear about much film coming out of Eastern
Europe nowadays. Sometimes you have to do a bit of digging to find films, but
as Kandidát shows it’s well worth it.
Kandidát treats you with an entertaining watch and brings
you along for a ride through the urban streets of Bratislava. Taking you on a
journey through a complicated political and tech world.
