If Pigeons Turned to Gold

As children, Czech filmmaker Pepa Lubojacki and her brother David were inseparable, but the memories they share are traumatic as well as happy ones. Mental health issues and addiction are a recurring pattern in the family. Their father succumbed to them, and David struggles with the same problems, as do two of their cousins.

Lubojacki films herself and her brother as she tries to help him lead a “normal” life and searches for the deeper causes of his self-destructive behavior. Their encounters, and her visits to her cousins in improvised shelters or on the street, are infused with affection but often end in frustration.

She tells this personal story by combining observational footage with surreal elements, including AI-animated family photographs. In a disturbing yet warm and humorous search for what it means to be human, another question emerges: how far can and should you go to tell a story? The film won an award at the Berlin Film Festival.

Please note: This film contains content on potentially sensitive topics. Read more.