The concept originated in Liptov, inspired by the newly constructed Stations of the Cross between Liptovské Matiašovce and Liptovský Trnovec. It's a follow-up to the successful QUO VADIS HOMINES project by the internationally recognized author Libor Špimr. The majority of the photographs for this project come from Liptov and are displayed in the rooms and hallways of the neurology department at the hospital in Liptovský Mikuláš. These photos help make the patients’ time in the neurology ward more enjoyable, offering them something more pleasant to look at than just plain walls.
The concept for the feature-length documentary 14 Crosses of the World was created by director and cameraman Libor Špimr. To introduce him further, he focuses on social issues and has made a documentary called Social Aspects of Uganda. In the global ranking of 50 personalities, he is in 9th place for his work on the integration of the Armenian nation. For example, George Clooney is in 1st place, and the late opera singer Montserrat Caballé is in 3rd. Since I have a degree in Social Work and Special Education, I was responsible for the script and dramaturgy of the documentary film.
In the film, we’ve incorporated the meaning of the birth of Christianity, drawing parallels to today’s world. The 14 crosses symbolize the journey from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to his resurrection. In our documentary 14 Crosses of the World, we aimed to contrast the 14 stations of the cross with 14 personal human stories. Each story corresponds to one station. This reflects the idea that everyone carries their own cross in life, whether they are believers or non-believers. Even non-believers believe in something, like the sun rising every morning. Do you know what the true meaning of the Stations of the Cross is? Faith, Love, and Hope. And that is the central theme of our film.
The main protagonists are families from Liptov. For the director and me, they are also the biggest heroes of the whole film – the heroes of today. They decided to be part of the film, showed their faces, shared their thoughts, even though they still carry their crosses. In the end, they try to find the good in life, to find optimism, with many even using dark humor. They often face reluctance and hostility from society. Sometimes it’s quite challenging to find a family willing to participate, as not everyone is ready to speak on camera, film in their homes, or show their private lives.
Each family has its own story, often a challenging one. They have a child with a disability or condition, which we gently refer to as a child with special needs. Some are physically disabled, others have faced a loss in their lives, but there are also positive stories. Whenever we chose a family with some form of disability, we tried to find one that hadn’t given up to fate, one that was always looking for ways to help themselves and, most importantly, to help others.
Here’s the paradox: for example, a person with a severe disability founded a charity organization that helps others with the same physical disability. Another family lost their husband and also helps in a nonprofit organization for families with similar experiences. These families need to meet each other and share their experiences. Families with the same fate understand each other the best, support each other, and, for example, tears are never a barrier for them.
As Armenia is the birthplace of the first Christian nation, we incorporated footage of several churches in Armenia into our documentary. Specifically, we featured the 4th-century Geghard Monastery, which was entirely carved by hand into the rock. The film also includes scenes from the church complex in Echmiadzin, which is the residence of the highest patriarch of the Armenian Church in the world.
