SPARKS IN TIME – WORLDWIDE COMPUTER ADVENTURE

LOGLINE

The vertiginous rise and fall of the Slovene informational technology giant which found itself behind the scenes of political intrigue and secret service battle at the pinnacle of cold war.

Iskre v času / Sparks In Time – (Trailer) from Senca Studio on Vimeo.

SYNOPSIS

It’s 1978, a group of electrical engineering, classmates, established an IT company “Iskra Delta computers” in Ljubljana, Slovenia. In the USA, this was the time of Bill Gates, Gary Kildall, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

Iskra Delta saw a meteoric rise and constructed the first and world’s largest computer network in China, in 1985.

When the company’s technology became too powerful and too big, it attracted the attention of the CIA, which wanted to prevent the enemy from accessing it. On the other side of the front, the KGB saw Iskra Delta Computers as a final opportunity to make up for Soviet IT shortcomings. The company was also in trouble with the Yugoslav secret police UDBA and the local authorities due to their shortsightedness, corruption, and proverbial Slovene jealousy.

On top of it all, Yugoslavia was facing a bloody breakup.

CREATIVE CREW

Director: JURIJ GRUDEN
Screenplay: JURIJ GRUDEN, MILOŠ KALUSEK
Based on the book “Cold War for Information Technology” by Janez Škrubej
Producer: IDA WEISS
Co-producer: TANJA GRUDEN
Editor: MILOŠ KALUSEK
Director of Photography: RADOVAN ČOK
Sound designer and re-recording mixer: JULIJ ZORNIK
Sound mixer: VJEKOSLAV MIKEZ

FEATURING

JANEZ ŠKRUBEJ, ENGINEERS OF ISKRA DELTA, KEN OLSON, TITO, NIXON, …

PRODUCTION

SENCA STUDIO

Co-producers:
RTV SLOVENIA
AVI FILM

Financial support:
Slovenian Film Center, Film studio Viba film

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

“The 1980s – which, in Yugoslavia, started with the death of Josip Broz Tito and ended with the country’s dissolution, while Europe saw the end of bipolarity, demise of socialism, and the beginning of European integration – represent one of the most exciting periods in contemporary European history. They were a period when the old had not yet withered away, while the new had not yet formed. At this time, one of the most successful economic endeavours took place. The enthusiasm behind the contemporaneous post hippy gigs inspired me during the creation of this incredible story.” Jurij Gruden, director

REVIEWS

“Jurij Gruden /… dynamically intertwines exciting anecdotes (really worthy of a fictional action thriller) and testimonies of important men in the company, developers, programmers, production, marketing and storage managers. With a witty and skilful editing approach, their inspiring story is additionally ‘animated’ with pop culture references, suggestive archive footage, precious home videos and inserts from the treasury of Yugoslav advertising campaigns. In this way, he creates a dynamic, attractively expressed, but also moving homage to Slovenian entrepreneurship, innovation and ambition, he also offers a reflection on the fatal errors of a certain system (which are not only a matter of previous times, but rather a typically Slovenian characteristic) and pioneering ideas that have become collateral damage to the world political games during the Cold War. The film, based on the book by Janez Škrube, general manager of Iskra Delta, The Cold War and the Battle for Information Technology, does not point the finger at the culprit for the company’s collapse. Perhaps the most eloquent answer was given by Škrubej after the film premiere: ‘They were ready to kill a whole cow for a piece of meat.’” – Tina Lešničar, Delo

SCREENINGS

The film was on the regular program of Kinodvor, Ljubljana

10.4.2022 – Cinema Radovljica
12.4.2022 – Kosovelov dom, Sežana
14.4.2022 – Kosovelov dom, Sežana
21.2.2022 ob 17.30 – Kinodvor, Ljubljana – the screening is followed by a conversation with the director Juri Gruden and the main protagonist Janez Škrube. The conversation will be moderated by Lenart Kučič.
10.2.2022 ob 20.00 – Cinema Odeon, Izola – the screening is followed by a discussion with the director
10.03.2022 – Cinema Domžale(the screening is followed by a conversation with Juri Gruden and Janez Škrubej)
11.-13.3.2022 – Cinema Ptuj
17.3.2022 – Cinema Krško
17.3.2022 – Lecture hall of the Faculty of Computer Science and Informatics (projection for students, employees, retired colleagues and alumni)
29.3.2022 – Cultural Center Gorica (Italija)
31.03.2022 – Cinema Trbovlje
31.03.2022 – Cinema Domžale

AWARDS

Special mention of the jury – 24th Festival of Slovenian Film, 2021
Grand Prix – History Film Festival, 2022
Best Director Award – History Film Festival, 2022

FESTIVALS

24th Slovenian Film Festival, October 12 – 17, 2021 – Special Jury Mention
8th Balkan Panorama Film Festival, 21 – 27 Maj, 2022
History Film Festival, Rijeka, Hrvaška, 13. – 17. September, 2022 – Grand Prix & Best Director Award
DokuDoc, Maribor, Slovenija, 15. – 18. September, 2022