Screen Time with Mum: Our Cinematic Bond

The planet approaches. The world quiets. A horse, a woman, and a knowing silence. Inspired by Lars von Trier's Melancholia - and my mum's passion for movies.

Last May, I wrote about the connection I shared with my mum - my inspiration, and role model. With Mother's Day approaching, I am reminiscing about her passions, particularly one that brought her endless joy throughout her life: movies.

Long before ‘screen time’ became a digital dilemma, it was something sacred in our house—hours spent side by side in dark cinemas, immersed in stories that flickered across the big screen and occasionally ended in debates over who cried first.

This year, I want to celebrate my mum not just as the incredible woman she was, but also as a true movie enthusiast. Seriously, she was a cinema regular, even in her nineties! While most people her age were pondering their next nap, she was off watching the latest films. But she didn’t just watch movies; she thought deeply about them and wrote reviews for each one. These reviews were not meant for public consumption or fame, just for her personal reflection. She rarely shared her reviews, but occasionally she would pass them on to my brother, who worked as a film publicist and critic. The two of them would engage in endless conversations about movies, debating, laughing, agreeing, and disagreeing. It was their unique language of connection.

I often encouraged my mum to publish her reviews—perhaps start a blog and share her unique insights with the world. After all, she would have been one of the oldest bloggers around! We joked about it, but it never materialized. Still, the dream has not faded. Maybe one day I will create that blog.

One of her proudest moments? Being invited in her nineties to speak at Fabiofest - The Prague International Film Festival! From cinema lover to film panelist—she was living the dream!

Over the years, her taste in films varied, but one director she particularly admired was Ingmar Bergman, a Swedish filmmaker known for exploring existential questions, spirituality, and the human psyche. His films were often deep, beautiful, and emotionally challenging. For my mum, they were not just movies—they were meditations on life itself. She loved many of Bergman’s films, but two stood out: The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries.

A few years ago, I asked her about her all-time favorite film. She mentioned The Seventh Seal, of course, but also brought up Melancholia by Lars von Trier. I was both surprised and not surprised, as it is also one of my favorite films. We had a deep conversation about it—the beauty, the sadness, the psychological weight, and the hauntingly poetic visuals. It was one of those moments when two minds completely align in their appreciation of something profound.

As a tribute to that shared connection, I have decided to design a poster for Melancholia—a creative homage to the conversation and the memory of her beside me in the dark cinema, watching the screen glow.

I am thinking of you, Mum!

Aussies don't do Name Days - But should we?

April is a special month for me—it's my birthday month! But instead of talking about birthdays, I thought I would write about something just as festive, yet strangely overlooked in Australia: Name Days. If you have never heard of them, don’t worry—you are not alone. In fact, when I mention Name Days here, I am often met with puzzled expressions.

So, what exactly is a Name Day? A Name Day is a celebration of your given name. Unlike birthdays, which mark the day you were born, Name Days are a nod to history, religion, and cultural traditions that have been around for centuries.

If you grew up in Australia, the concept of Name Days might sound very exotic. But in many countries, Name Days are as significant—sometimes even more so—than birthdays.

For example, growing up in Czechoslovakia, Name Days were a big deal. Friends and family would congratulate you, maybe bring a small gift or flowers, and there was often cake involved (because, let’s face it, everything is better with cake). Calendars list names for each day, making it easy to remember whose turn it is to celebrate.

Similar to Czech traditions, names are also celebrated in Poland, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Slovenia,  Greece, Spain, Sweden, Finland and many other European countries.

Australia, being a melting pot of cultures, has embraced a lot of traditions, but Name Days haven’t quite made the cut. Name Days remain one of those hidden gems of celebration that many Aussies have yet to discover.

So should we start the movement? I say, why not? In a world where we celebrate everything from Pie Day to Wombat Day, surely we can make room for Name Days. So, if you ever spot your friend’s or your name listed on a European calendar or a Name Day website, take it as a sign and maybe start a new tradition.

And if you would like to celebrate in style, you can contact me for a handmade gift card. I made one for myself – take a look.

And my Name Day is in August! Time for another party!

Living the Lefty Life: Smudges, Scissors, and Secret Skills

Can you crack the left-handed riddle?

Did you know that only about 10% of the world’s population is left-handed? That is what the statistics say, but I seem to know a lot of lefties. Maybe we naturally gravitate toward each other.

Life as a left-hander is an adventure—especially when you grow up in a time and place where being left-handed is considered... well, a problem.

I was raised in Czechoslovakia, where left-handedness was strongly discouraged at both school and home. Unbelievable, right? My teachers forced me to write with my right hand, which felt as unnatural as trying to eat soup with a fork. But they were persistent, and eventually, I became a functional right-handed writer. But I still consider myself a full left-hander. I have to do everything with my left hand—it’s just how I’m wired!

Here is the twist: despite my ‘training,’ my left hand still makes its presence known in peculiar ways. For instance, I always hold scissors “wrong.” If you have ever seen me cut something, you might think I am inventing a new form of abstract art. But it just feels right to me (even if it is technically wrong). My husband always comments on how I hold the scissors, but it really makes no difference to me.

Then there is my straight-line dilemma. I can’t, for the life of me, draw a straight horizontal line with my left hand. It wobbles, wavers, and takes on a mind of its own. The only solution? I switch to my right hand and pretend I planned it that way all along.

But my real party trick is mirror writing. If you hand me a pen and ask me to write something with my left hand, it comes out perfectly mirrored, just like Leonardo da Vinci's work. Why do I have this bizarre skill? I have no idea, but it does come in handy for leaving mysterious, cryptic messages. I even left one for you to solve, so let me know how that goes. And if all else fails, just grab a mirror to read it again.

Life as a left-hander is full of surprises, but I wouldn’t want to change it. After all, some of the most creative minds in history were left-handed—Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Jimi Hendrix, Albert Einstein, and even Barack Obama. Not bad company to keep!

So, if you are a fellow leftie, raise a glass to the wonderfully unique world of left-handed life!