SCREENING

My Name Is Janez Janša

HD / 68 min / Color / Sound 5.1 / 2012 / Slovenia

17 December 2015, 6 p.m. 
Institute for Theatre Studies, Freie Universität Berlin 
Grunewaldstr. 35, 12165 Berlin

A name. Everybody has one. Individuals, artists and academics from all over the world share their thoughts about the meaning and purpose of one’s name from both private and public perspectives. The problem of homonymy and other reasons for changing one’s name are explored as the film draws references from history, popular culture and individual experiences, leading us to the case of a name change that caused a stir in the small country of Slovenia and beyond.

In 2007 three artists joined the conservative Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) and officially changed their names to that of the leader of that party, the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša. While they renamed themselves for personal reasons, the boundaries between their lives and their art began to merge in numerous and unforeseen ways.

Signified as an artistic gesture, this particular name change provoked a wide range of interpretations in art circles both in Slovenia and abroad, as well as among journalists and the general public.

The documentary features a great deal of internationally known names, among them UBERMORGEN.COM, Vuk Ćosić, Franco and Eva Mattes, Jan Fabre, Stephen Kovats, Tim Etchells, Vaginal Davis, Mladen Dolar, and, last but not least… Janez Janša, Janez Janša and Janez Janša.

More information about the film is available under www.mynameisjanezjansa.com.