Pavol Barabáš

An old Slovak legend says: When God created the Earth, He distributed beauty to angels to spread it over the lands. The youngest of them wanted to shorten his way through the high mountains. However, he did not manage to take off higher with the burden. He tripped on one of the sharp shields and all his beauty was scattered across the surrounding valleys. The ancient Slavs gave the wild mountains full of game and superstition the name of the Tatras. Today we know that they are the smallest mountains in the world. Try to look carefully into their kingdom with us. Quietly look around and let your thoughts be carried away by the majesty of nature. You may touch the knowledge of how everything relates to everything in this world. And maybe you will understand your responsibility to preserve the wilderness, which should remain here for future generations as if frozen in time.

The Brahmaputra, Karnali, and Colorado Rivers are fascinating for many river runners. Particularly, the Colorado River stands out as a unique stage where whitewater rapids unravel Earth's ancient history. Within its wild water, it stirs up cherished memories of a dear friend, whose passion for discovering the mysteries of great rivers inspired many of us. The documentary film Grand Canyon captures adventures of Slovak paddlers dedicated to follow their dreams. Rafting down many rivers and crossing canyons worldwide, they face their biggest challenge now – to raft down the Colorado River. Years of preparation have led up to this defining moment. They face the month-long journey in the canyon, immersing themselves in the untamed beauty of nature.

He is well- known in the world, but unknown in his home country. Slovakian Peter Valusiak took part in more than 20 expeditions to the Polar Regions. In 1998, together with three Russian explorers, he completed the first unsupported crossing of the Arctic Ocean from Russia to Canada over the North Pole. Another great challenge which has been on his mind for many years is to cross Antarctica over the South Pole. The Polarman is portrait of a man who tries to survive alone in the coldest continent.

Amazonia vertical is a film that presents the power of nature and adventurous discovery of a lost world. Auyan Tepui... The highest table mountain in the Amazon... Indians believe that demons live on the top of it...Becko Ondrejovic managed the first complete traverse.

Everyone needs their tribe.

Mustang, a kingdom whose existence has long been kept secret, on the territoryof Nepal in the fabled land of Lo. It is hidden behind the high wall of the Himalayas, like a wedge driven into Tibet. The afternoon wind blows every day, tirelessly obliterating all trace of every caravan. In front of the royal palacemonks intone ancient Buddhist prayers over and over again. Time seems to have stopped in this medieval fortress. Electricity, roads and cars are unknown to these people and yet in some ways they are ahead of us. In their incredible knowledge of nature and in their way of life. The fortress of Lo Mantang, however, continues to guard its secrets

With hundred kilos on their backs they are facing storms, blizzards and deep snow. Their craft is not only a profession, but also their way to the calmness. We get to know the oldest generation of the porters in the High Tatras, who climb with supplies to the mountain huts every day. We discover why they have chosen this way of life and why they remain the last of the Mohicans.

Thanks to its inaccessibility, both natural and political, Irian Jaya is the only remaining place where civilized man can come into contact with the primitive world. Until now no expedition had managed the march from the centre of the country to the River Mamberamo, which hides its secrets from the white world.

It is a unique record of the crossing of Antarctica, which was made by Slovak polar explorer Peter Valušiak together with the director of the film. Peter Valušiak has completed some two dozen expeditions to the polar regions and is known as "the Slovak alien". He planned the expedition project over the highest peak of Mount Vinson (4897 m). The Slovak expedition consisted of Peter Valušiak, Róbert Kukučka, Patrik Tkáč and Pavol Barabáš. After a 200-kilometre march, they reached the South Pole. Valušiak continued the trek alone, with a load of 200 kg.

The portrait of composer Svetozár Stračina pays tribute to an extraordinary creative force who has left behind a vast, significant musical legacy. He was an extraordinary artist who stands out from any “folder”. A boheme who perceived inherently and cultivated the authentic folklore. A composer whose creations inspire also those who avoid folklore. Stračina not only substantially contributed to the ethnomusicological repertoire, he helped create an enormous amount of legendary film music, whose originality stands up to the test of time.

A documentary film about a country where Tibetan Buddhism has preserved its original culture. When steel birds begin to fly in the sky, when horses begin to ride on wheels, the time will come when Buddhism will begin to spread to the western countries," predicted in the eighth century the Tibetan saint and magician Padmasambhava. After many centuries of an impregnable and isolated land of monks living in countless monasteries, Ladakh has been made accessible by cars and airplanes. A unique cultural and religious heritage of the world has been revealed in the former kingdom, lying on the western edge of the Tibetan Plateau guarded by the high ranges of the Himalayas and the Karakoram. its ancient traditions and knowledge of the hidden powers of the human soul and the highest knowledge are mortally threatened. It depends only on humanity whether these riches of the world will disappear forever or become the spiritual property of a future higher civilization. (distributor's official text)

You have to go deep underground, along a winding path. You will crawl in the mud and in the cold, in your own sweat, which after a while will freeze on your skin. You will go from light to darkness to rediscover the light, the light in yourself... The first part of the three-part documentary series about exploring the underground in Slovakia will guide you through a tangle of incredibly narrow passages and at the same time a number of spacious underground halls of little-known caves. It introduces you to the admirable people to thank for discovering the underground riches beneath our feet. Rocky Stream, Štefanová, Eternal Robot, Cave of Dead Bats, Old Castle, Moon Shadow. (distributor's official text)

150 years have passed since the first thoughts of organized leadership in the High Tatras. The ancient tradition has basically not changed. Even today, mountain guides help fulfill the dreams and aspirations of those for whom the highest peaks would be inaccessible. However, this craft is not only about freedom, romance and adventure...

Rising 28,169 feet above the Earth's surface, Nepal's Kanchenjunga or "five treasures of snows" is the world's third-highest mountain and the object of destiny for the members of the Slovak expedition at the heart of this documentary. Weather, geography and legend all conspire against those who set out to conquer the five-peaked behemoth in this film that reveals many of the mountain's most spectacular vistas.

The adventurer, Ivan Bulík, traveled all through Africa. However, one of his dreams still eluded him: He desired to capture the life and customs of the smallest people on Earth, to find the undisturbed civilization of Pygmies.

The High Tatras are very close to our hearts thanks to our shared history. But do we know everything about the individual peaks that tower above us? This six-part series by experienced documentary filmmaker Pavel Barabáš captures the history of the discovery of the Tatra peaks. Against the backdrop of the beautiful, majestic High Tatras, the fascinating stories and lives of their visitors unfold. These pioneers left behind a lasting legacy and played an important role in uncovering the secrets of the mountains. Kriváň, Gerlach, Ľadový štít, Mengusovský štít, Javorovy, Ostry štít, and other well-known peaks of the High Tatras shine in all their beauty in Stories of the Tatra Peaks. The smallest high mountains in the world are closely connected with great human destinies.