Robert Durec
Acting
Biography
Robert Durec (Róbert Ďurec) is a Slovak filmmaker, cinematographer, and author. He is best known for his work on independent short films including Infra Alien (2025), Eye Contact (2021), and Free Hugs in Bratislava (2015), where he served as director, writer, and cinematographer. Ďurec’s films are often conceived as social studies, exploring emotions, human reactions, and the subtle dynamics of connection through minimalist storytelling and atmospheric imagery. Beyond film, he is also active as an author and creative professional, blending his background in data analytics and storytelling to produce original works that bridge technology, emotion, and art. His debut book King Who Lives Everything (2023) earned critical recognition in Slovakia’s Kniha Horného Považia literary competition.
Known For
A washed-up, controversial podcast host is pushed to the limit when a mysterious caller threatens to kidnap his girlfriend live on air. As the stream unfolds, old grudges resurface, forcing him to confront the dark past he thought he'd left behind.
Chaos Exigency
An experimental film essay shot in infrared, exploring hidden layers of the world through interior and exterior scenes.
Infra Alien
A man wants to sit alone on a park bench, but it's always occupied. His increasingly ridiculous attempts to drive others away lead to a chain of comic situations.
Repelent
A short social experiment capturing the reactions of strangers to free hugs on the streets of Bratislava.
Free Hugs in Bratislava
Eye Contact is an experimental documentary filmed in the main square of Bratislava's Old Town. Robert Durec sits in the square and asks random people to join him for one minute of eye contact. Each meeting is different - some people are shy, others curious, some laugh, while others stay serious. The film shows the genuine emotions before, during, and after the eye contact, capturing simple but powerful moments of human connection.