Documentary

Slovakia, 2026, 56 min

Director, Screenplay, Camera: Vladimír Šifra

Featuring: Tomáš Dražil, Jaroslav Jánoš, Vladimír Šifra Sr., Ondrej Ondruš, Ondrej Ondruš Jr., Jaroslava Ondrušová, Eva Ondrušová, Mária Knižková, Michaela Šifrová, Terézia Šifrová, Šimon Petrigáč, Dušan Petrigáč, Božena Šifrová, Štefánia Bryndzová, Ľubomír Košút, participants of the mowing camp, employees of ZSE and VSE, Michal Skypala, Janka Ivančová, Daniela Kotschová, the Oravec family

Locations in the Košice Region: Kopanecké Meadows (Slovak Paradise National Park)

This nature documentary explores the globally unique Kopanecké Meadows in Slovak Paradise, a landscape shaped by the shared work of nature and humans. For centuries, the meadows have been maintained through traditional hand mowing, creating an extraordinarily rich ecosystem with remarkable biodiversity. The film highlights their exceptional ecological value, their significance in a time of climate crisis, and the urgent need for their protection.

Living in the region themselves, the filmmakers were able to capture the meadows in their most beautiful light, atmosphere and seasonal rhythms. Through poetic and visually immersive storytelling, the film reveals the hidden life of the meadows. Time-lapse sequences follow the growth of plants, detailed macro cinematography uncovers the fascinating world of insects, and sweeping landscape imagery captures nature’s transformations throughout the year. The audience is invited into a world that often remains invisible to the human eye.

An important part of the story is also its human dimension — memories of local residents, the tradition of hand mowing, and the efforts of scientists and volunteers working to save the meadows from overgrowth and disappearance. The film asks whether this natural treasure can be preserved for future generations, reminding us that without sensitive human stewardship, this unique landscape could vanish forever.

The documentary premiered on April 5, 2026, on Slovak Television (STVR, Dvojka). The premiere was watched by 51,000 viewers, with an additional 16,000 watching the April 7 rerun. Combined reach across both broadcasts was 147,000 viewers (minimum three consecutive minutes viewed; source: PMT / FIFTY5BLUE).

The film is currently submitted to several festivals in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, while special screenings are being prepared during the opening of the tourist season in Slovak Paradise and during the traditional hand mowing of the Kopanecké Meadows.

The film is an important project promoting Slovak Paradise and its natural heritage, offering a fresh perspective on biodiversity, sustainability and cultural legacy. The project was supported by the Košice Self-Governing Region through the Terra Incognita program.

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