directed by Martin Kollár, Slovakia, 2015, 52 min, documentary, english subtitles, original title: 5. október

A quiet story about a man waiting for serious surgery. After he learns that he may only have a few more months to live, he embarks on a random journey on a bicycle carrying only a “deadline”: 5 October. From the notes in his diary and his daily search for a place to spend the night, we discover what he is running away from: fear, discomfort, testing weather conditions, and his deteriorating health. Reality, however, keeps reminding him of what lies ahead: surgery with possibly fatal consequences. “It is the story of my 52-year-old brother. Each one of us probably at sometime thinks about how he or she would spend the last days of their life. Ján decided to spend his waiting on a bicycle, travelling across the world as a nomad, or as an “easy rider”, if i may. With no thoughts about the mortgage, taxes, everyday routines to distract him. Ján’s memento mori begins,” (director’s note).

Awards:
Rotterdam IFF 2016