Bára Basiková is a Czech rock icon. She left a lasting impression in the 80s as lead singer of the bands Stromboli and Precedens and continues to fill concert halls as a solo artist to this day. Numerous musicals also live from her presence. Famous for her fascinating, approachable longitudinal portraits, Helena Třeštíková shows Basiková’s turbulent life over the decades. Her love of art and her search for fulfilling partnerships are recurring themes. More than once, Basiková is forced to admit that a relationship has failed and must risk a new start. Money repeatedly proves scarce and the burden of everyday life sometimes almost forces her to her knees. Yet Třeštíková never dwells too long in any one moment: the editing is fast-paced; over feature-film length, “Bára – Diary of a Rockstar” conveys a speed and richness of experience that seem to stand in direct relation to the protagonist’s lifestyle. Basiková is driven, a romantic and a fighter. Třeštíková brings substantial themes in her own unique way to the fore: what are the consequences of deciding to dedicate your existence to a passion full of uncertainties? What roles do age and aging play for a woman? And last, but not least, how to always keep things going?

Carolin Weidner