When we made the choice to set up our studio, we already knew it had to be in Liberec. We didn't worry about there not being as much work as in Prague, or that the capital is a more prestigious address. We decided to live, work and shape the city in a way that would make it a good place for us. We felt the accumulated energy and the insane history of the Sudetenland, Hubáček's SIAL and the tradition of industry that reeks from the plaster of every other building here. When you say Liberec, most people immediately think of the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd. But that's not Liberec, it's its background that makes it more than just a ransacked city with a deteriorating culture. Liberec is not a city of dreams, a crystal valley or a mecca of architecture. It's a middle-aged porn actor who still dreams of making the movie of his life. That flogged and flagellated adult film star is also us. There's nothing here, but it makes it that much easier to start doing something. So we make stuff ourselves.

We've opened a dive bar, organized a film festival, ran running races and took care of the forest swimming pool, which is as leaky as a strainer and can't hold water in the summer, but we know we'll get it back in shape one day. The best part is that we're not alone. It's a thrill to watch things changing around us from the grassroots up. It's not the politicians who run the city. It's the folks who actually live here. They're the ones who can better their neighborhoods and maybe even have more drive to make things happen. This suicidal naivety and enthusiasm, while often not without consequences, is not without its fruits either. And so old cinemas are being refurbished, bistros and new bars are being opened and it would almost seem that there is some sort of incentive. It's not. It's a DIY place. So the same old porn actor keeps shuffling through the junkyard waiting for his agent to call him. But there's flowers starting to sprout in that dump. Nicer and tougher than in the flowerbeds. They're so vividly vibrant and brutally beautiful.