Daniel világa

The most valuable thing about Daniel's World is that it even came into existence and that it breaks down certain taboos and allows for a glimpse into the thinking of those who have a good reason to hide their desires, thoughts, and emotions. Finding a pedophile who would reveal their true identity must have been quite a feat, but unfortunately, Veronika Lišková's abilities in that regard were somewhat exhausted. Her authorial contribution is insignificant, and I don't feel the hand of an experienced documentarian there, i.e., someone who knows how to intensify the viewer's experience, and how to process the subject matter in such a way that the viewer can orient themselves in the issue and create something that is not just the story of one student. Overall impression: 55%. (2016.01.06)

Pedophilia is an important topic to talk about and it is quite taboo in society. Everyone just thinks that all pedophiles are the same and the first thing they do is jump on when he sees your child is to jump on him… This humanizing documentary is somewhat eye-opening, and after watching it, you will not look at the issue with scorn (that is, if you have a bit of empathy in you). Unfortunately, what kills the documentary is the static camerawork, monotonous dialogs, and the mannerisms and monologs from the main protagonist. I like that Daniel's friends accept him and try to find understanding, but some scenes are rather detrimental to the whole topic (for example the devil and St. Nicholas or the children’s playground scene). (2021.04.25)

As a good teacher, I know that there are people among us who really love children, but Daniel's World is doing this "unhappily in love" community a great disservice. In her own words and with a great deal of empathy, the director flips all the established stereotypes and tries to pump them into the viewer in huge doses. Which she fails at. The title protagonist of the documentary meets the idea of the majority of society's perception of pedophiles to no end by the way he appears on screen. His manipulative speech, machined and squeezed into acting mannerisms, triggers your defense mechanisms, although you can play at being a liberal humanist all the way to the grave. The fact that it lacks a more dramatic confrontation with the other side is the creator’s fault. PS: After the screening, the director admitted that she is a new mother. She was unable to confirm or deny whether her offspring would meet Daniel. (2014.10.14)

It takes courage to film a similar movie, or rather to perform in it. It is brave and it is also a nice example of how it is possible to portray a psychological profile of a person with all their weaknesses and strengths. It almost surprises me how the film is being rated. Maybe we really have enough people among us who do not judge right away. (2016.05.17)