Aphex Twin, ‘Kid A’ and Post Bellum: The Work That Made Marek Partys

Marek Partys’ love of storytelling began not with a camera, but with a box of LEGO, building characters and worlds from his imagination. That spirit of invention still drives his filmmaking today.

He took a unique path into directing, studying film theory and journalism at Palacký University. This mix of critical insight and narrative instinct shaped his ability to craft emotionally intelligent, visually compelling work. Within a year of entering the commercial world, Marek was directing for major clients like IKEA, Telekom, Zalando, and McDonald’s.

Marek’s style blends bold, playful aesthetics with cinematic depth. He moves fluidly between vibrant, exaggerated visuals and intimate, human moments – often within the same frame. His work is emotionally sharp, visually inventive, and alive with contrast.

At his core, Marek is a world-builder. Whether surreal or grounded, his films don’t just tell stories; they create experiences.

Marek spoke with LBB about the music video he rewatches every year, the holy trinity of directors that inspire him, and his upcoming first feature film.

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LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…

Marek> I still remember how my older sister's boyfriend brought a VHS tape to our house and played me Aphex Twin’s ‘Windowlicker’ . It was a revelation for me. Since then, there hasn't been a year when I haven't watched the video and marvelled at how, unlike me, it never seems to age.

LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…

Marek> I don’t have to think too long about this question, because it was definitely the ‘Directors Label’ DVD collection and its first three releases featuring the holy trinity of Chris Cunningham, Michel Gondry, and Spike Jonze. Without these gentlemen realising it, I am convinced that this collection is actually the most successful recruitment campaign for new filmmakers.

LBB> The creative work that I keep revisiting…

Marek> It's really hard to choose just one thing, so I have several. Whether it's the work of director Jan Švankmajer, the excellent Czech film ‘The Cremator’, my favourite film by Paul Thomas Anderson, ‘Punch-Drunk Love’, or the non-fiction series of books by Carlos Castaneda, I return to all of them and hopefully find something new there every time.

But if I had to choose one thing, it would be Radiohead's album ‘KID A’. For me, it's the holy grail.

LBB> My first professional project…

Marek> It was while I was still studying at university. I was part of the student TV station, and the university's marketing director liked our work so much that he commissioned me to shoot a promo for the university.

Even though I only got paid $500 for it, the video went viral on Facebook, which was just starting out at the time, and basically opened the door to my profession.

LBB> The piece of work that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*

Marek> It was one of my first commercials, which was about children secretly preparing a cookbook for their mother from their recipes, publishing it, and then taking their mother to the bookstore where it was sold. The mother then cries with emotion. The agency wanted to film it so that everything was shot on hidden cameras, as if it actually happened. It ended up being so cheesy that I vowed to avoid such artificial emotions at all costs.

LBB> The creative project that changed my career…

Marek> They were two films from Ladakh – ‘Jagrlama’ and ‘Physics’ – which we created with a three-member crew, but their impact was such that it opened the door for me to larger projects and bigger productions.

LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…

Marek> In general, I love projects that have some social impact, which is why I am particularly fond of a series of commercials for Post Bellum, a non-profit organisation in the Czech Republic that reminds people of the destructiveness of totalitarian regimes and the fragility of the democratic system.

LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…

Marek> Besides my family, it's definitely the preparation of my first feature film, which is about the fine line between schizophrenia and mystical experience.