Life of Czechoslovak soldiers in a military unit for the so called "politically unreliable" - the Technical auxiliary battalions, aka "the black barons". Although it might seem like a political satire and it's mostly funny, it shows the reality and the absurdity of military service under the communist regime. Based on a novel by Miloslav Svandrlik.
Capturing the dark humor of Czech author Michal Viewegh's chronicle of life after the Velvet Revolution, this black comedy chronicles three decades in the life of a small Czech family. While the original novel centered on the protagonist Kvido from his conception through his adulthood, first time director Petr Nikolaev and screenwriter Jan Novak changed the focus to his parents Milena, an extremely self-effacing lawyer who acts on stage in her spare time, and Ales, a rather aimless government worker who tends to drift wherever the wind takes him. The lives of Ales and Milena change dramatically following the Russian invasion of Prague in 1968.
They returned home to Czechoslovakia, believing that the long-awaited peace would come. However, history decided otherwise. Over two and a half thousand pilots served in the uniforms of the British Royal Air Force. Heroes to the British, who helped decide the outcome of the war, they were tried for treason in our country after the war... The Ballad of a Pilot takes place in late summer 1945 and early 1946, a time of euphoria over the newly acquired peace, when the network of interpersonal relationships, shattered by the war, began to reform. At first, it was thought that the First Republic democracy would take over the government, but the fate of Czechoslovakia turned out differently.
In 1913, Czech skiing champion Bohumil Hanč perseveres alone in a fierce snowstorm during a race, collapses from exhaustion and exposure, and is found by his friend Emerich Rath, who risks his own life in a desperate rescue attempt. Tragically, Hanč succumbs to the elements, and shortly after his friend Václav Vrbata, who lent Hanč his coat, also perishes in the blizzard.
After success of Kytice, which is based on the famous collection of poems of K.J.Erben, one of the most well-known character of classic Czech literature, Mr. Brabec went for even more famous poem Máj of K.H. Mácha, which is considered the peak of Czech romanticism
"A documentary anatomy of mass murder for one monitor and 34 talking heads." These are the words the filmmakers use in the credits to describe their project, which thematises the execution of more than 260 Carpathian Germans, Hungarians and Slovaks by Czechoslovak army soldiers near Přerov in June 1945. The “massacre at Přerov” is made present through a minimalist dramatisation of the interrogation footage of direct participants, eyewitnesses, and others. It is as if the characters of ancient theatre were entering the Zoom “stage” and delivering a tragic message of fear, hatred and disinterest across the chasm of time.
A poetic and powerful story of a father forced to choose between love and duty.
Prince Louis Ottomar Charles XII, born Noble, is very close to his loving mother, Queen Ludmilla. However, Prince Louis is already a bit too old, he is 39 years old. He's afraid of almost everything, doesn't want to get married, and spends most of his life hanging around the sumptuous castle and adjacent fields. The wise King Radomil therefore prepares an unexpected gift for him - the prince wakes up one morning in the forest in ordinary clothes and, accompanied by the rough knight Hudroval, he is to go out into the world to learn what life is all about and perhaps finally grow up. On his great journey of adventure, he will encounter things he has only read about in books. He will meet a powerful wizard, evil witches, a ghost, and the Lady Death herself... and maybe even find the love of his life. What will Mummy say about all this? And will Father King be happy?
This darkly grotesque drama unfolds on multiple paths. The tangible one, now cruel, now crazy, along which the nomadic actor "Dad Mour", his wife "Mum" and two sons try to return home, but also the imaginary one, even more, tortuous and dusty, on which the often impressive mental youth (or immaturity, a scrooge might say) is welded with life circumstances forcing the protagonist to wise up. An anxious and exuberant cinematic faerie about love, the fear of loneliness and the gaze of sons fixed on their fathers.
A little girl and a socialist orphanage. It is a strict children’s institution. How to overcome fears, insecurity and loneliness? To do this, the girl creates another self to talk to and argue with. And, of course, the dream of America where everything is beautiful and good. Where her father lives and waits for her. A girl and her foster family. There’s plenty of everything, but it doesn’t feel right. Emma’s trials don’t end there. Again and again, she must find the strength to hope, the stamina to live.
During a winter storm, Ursus offers shelter to two orphans, Gwynplaine and Déa; some years later, they are still living together. Gwynplaine has become a famous star, but his success threatens his relationships with Déa and Ursus.
Theater in film: Maryša by Jan Mikulášek, directed by Viktor Tauš, is a thoroughly contemporary cinematic confession of a woman who has decided not to succumb to the pressure of those around her and, if she cannot fulfill her love, would rather cause death and self-destruction. A ballad about a case where preserving inner dignity is more important than life itself.
Flower Buds tells the story of the gradual breakdown of a family living in a small town. Each character lives according to his or her own ideals. Agata wants a happy life far from home, fully aware that her only hope is to escape and therefore betray those close to her. Honza believes in the purity and power of love, regardless of the circumstances under which it is born. Kamila looks confidently to the future and does not intend to accept the misery of the present. The only Jarda knows that he will not change the world or himself. Aware of his weakness, he does not even try. In his mind, of course, his addiction to slot machines, which has led to a nearly impossible situation, is as certain as most gamblers' belief of an imminent win. The real and convincing attempt to rescue his family comes when it is too late. It is just a futile gesture, a desperate last ditch effort.
Set over a two-decade period in a tiny Central European village, this drama not only chronicles a couple's tragic star-crossed love, it also serves as a metaphor for the tragedy of lost traditions. After opening in the snowy wilds as two people spectacularly die, the story jumps back 20 years as young Verona prepares to marry. Unfortunately, voracious wolves descend upon the ceremony and all but Verona and her courageous 10-year-old brother-in-law Goran, who saves her, perish. That day, Verona gives birth to Veronika and promptly betroths her daughter to the heroic Goran. A decade passes and on Veronika's 10th birthday, her engagement to Goran is formally announced at a big party. Festivities halt when a troupe of female circus performers and their sly employer Madina show up. Veronika soon finds herself more interested in Madina's young son Michal than she is in the adult Goran. Meanwhile, the worldly Madina attempts to adjust to life in an old-fashioned village.
A fairy tale about love put to the test, the mystery of medallions, a mysterious princess, and two mischievous boys who help a lot but also cause a lot of confusion.
In a godforsaken cave, a traveling journeyman fills his pockets with gold. Voita lost his father and mother in the war and is now seeking his fortune in the world. He got to the abyss at Gallows Mountain only by chance - or have mysterious powers led him there in this spooky stormy night? Suddenly, he notices a strange fellow among the treasures. The apparent ghost and custodian of this treasure chases away the young man, who still manages to secretly pocket a small, fateful lighter...
The Horváth family is a Romani family with seven children, and the story begins with the tragic death of the father. His wife, Vera, is suddenly in a fight with the authorities, determined to keep her large family together at all costs, but she is hopelessly ill-prepared for the task. They are evicted from their home and her case-Vera versus the city-finds its way to a young, ambitious lawyer. She doesn't know the world of the Romani, nor is she particularly interested in it. Initially she takes the case as a springboard for her career. Despite her prejudices, incomprehension and sometimes Vera herself, she doesn't abandon the case. Luckily she is not the only one who sides with the family. There is a social worker whose attempts to help the Horváths are also motivated by his entirely private interest in the attractive lawyer.
Young Filip is cursed with terrible luck ever since his father dared to outwit Lady Fortune herself, and to make matters worse, Filip falls hopelessly in love with Fortune’s daughter, Hanička. Determined to win her heart and break his family’s jinx, he embarks on a fantastical journey around the world, where an unlikely alliance with a compulsive liar named Kdokoliv (“Anybody”) becomes his only hope in the struggle for Hanička’s love.
The Slippers of Happiness is another film made by the Slovak Film Production in co-production with West German companies based on classic world fairy tales. After Slovak folk tales [The Greatest Peck in the World, Salt Over Gold] and the works of German fairy tale writers Wilhelm Hauff [The False Prince] and the Brothers Grimm [The Land of the Thrush's Beard, Perinbaba], screenwriter Alex Koenigsmark and director Juraj Herz were inspired by the famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It tells the story of slippers that the Fairy of Fortune enchanted so that they would fulfill every human wish and thus bring people happiness. The filmmakers humorously transferred the plot from Copenhagen to old Prague.
Rumbling is a dramatic feature film based on a true contemporary story, spiced with real-life events taken from media reports mixed in. It showcases tales of domestic violence, acts of self-defense, standing up for what is right and helping victims in need. The film is about an endangered human archetype, one whose sense of justice and freedom of speech borders the edge of law and social norms. It was originally planned as a documentary about people whose nature defies societal norm. This background gives the film a credible amount of crude realism. As a feature film Rumbling is set in the world of motorcycles, rock music and artists, where people valuing fairness and honesty blend in their inherent explosive emotions, rumbling in the heart and love for absolute beauty. A world where man ceases to be judgmental with himself.
Based on a best-selling novel by Michal Viewegh, Angels of everyday focuses on a few intimate family members: a recently widowed young doctor Ester; a school canteen cook and her son; a driving instructor, his wife, and their closest relatives.
An evil wizard longs to obtain what he does not yet have—a magic lamp. However, only a young boy can help him, so he seeks out the orphan Ali and sends him to a magical cave. The boy obtains the lamp, grows up, and woos the beautiful princess Fatima. Their happiness does not last long, as the vengeful wizard has no intention of giving up the lamp... How the love of the poor merchant Ali, with his wealth of goodness and love in his heart for Princess Fatima, ultimately triumphs, you will see in this fairy tale inspired by an oriental story from the collection One Thousand and One Nights.
A story of love, friendship, and solidarity, aspects of life that allows us to live with dignity even at the most difficult of times. Set within the walls of a Communist prison of the 1950s, a tale unfolds of a young couples' fragile love. An angry young man Lubos always felt defiance toward everything around him, and eventually this trait lands him in court. The verdict is clear and the punishment long and hard. But even in prison Lubos is unable to tame his love of jazz or the eternally blazing flame of rebellion he carries inside. There is no place on earth where love cannot grow. Lubos meets Dana in prison. Out of solidarity and support, their fellow prisoners hatch a small rebellion to help them fulfill their love - a love which has appeared in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The story of a music academy student Zdenek, who meets a charming girl, and without realizing also gets a son with her. Dealing with such a situation is not easy, especially when one day the child's mother disappears. Twenty year old Zdenek faces a serious decision. Although he is aware that a child may endanger his studies and perhaps even future career, he refuses to entrust him to the care of the state institution.
Edgar’s ordinary life is disrupted by a newborn calf he sees on a tourist trip to a slaughterhouse. He takes it home after finding out that the calf would become a schnitzel. His life is turned upside down when the calf turns into a cow and breaks things he holds dear. Edgar realizes that his decision wasn’t the best and decides to make a radical solution.
The Little Man lives happily in his little house in the Hollow Mountain. His peaceful life ends once he begins to have dreams about a mysterious house where he is to find what he desires. Even though he does not feel like having any desires, he crack the mystery himself.
Gynecologist Michal is caught cheating and must deal with a tricky, almost classic, love triangle situation. In the comedy Catch the Doctor!, he will deal with it in several different ways. After his attempt to save his marriage does not go quite as planned, he returns to the beginning of the film, to the point of one decision, and starts over. Differently. A total of three times, viewers will return to the same place on the same day with the main character, and three times they will be amazed at what can happen.
Bio-pic about Czech composer Antonin Dvoraák at the height of his career. Dvorák learns that his love and lifelong muse is ill and must return to her side.
Deep underneath the sea surface, accompanied by a fish orchestra, the voice of the ocean is telling a story of Little -- the Sea King's daughter. They left the plundered waters of their home to live among humans. They now lead a strenuous life in a somber fish shop in the heart of the harbor district where one day, Little comes to meet a handsome, confident and somewhat fresh young man -- H.H. From this moment on, the life of Little is to take a sea change.
The series Zubatá nekouše aneb Šestkrát o smrti vážně i nevážně (Death Doesn't Bite, or Six Serious and Lighthearted Stories About Death), directed by Czech and Slovak animators, was intended for children aged nine and older.
A charming comedy based on the life of polar explorer, writer, and storyteller J. E. Welzl.
The series follows Cyril and Methodius, two Byzantine Greek brothers born in the 9th century. They became missionaries of Christianity and influenced the cultural development of the Great Moravian territory.
Pre-WWII Czech democratic politician Milada Horáková was one of the first victims of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Opposing the 1948 coup but not leaving the country, she was arrested and tried for treason on fabricated charges in a show trial broadcast on the radio.
A king seeks the help of a charming band of animals to find an enchanted stone before a magician can use it to freeze the entire world.
Famed outlaw Lotrando sends his son to a strict Catholic boarding school to learn manners, but the boy becomes too polite to lead the band. When they inadvertently arrive in a sultanate where the princess Zubeida lies gravely ill and are mistaken for physicians, father and son must overcome their inexperience and imposture to heal her and save the realm.
This Hrebejk’s comedy is set in Prague, four years after the democratic “Velvet revolution” of 1989. This was an era of sudden freedom, transition and confusion. Most people got carried away, quickly abandoning the old values and uncritically accepting the new. Some people just took a break…
A successful chemist is forced to return his honeymoon vouchers to Greece. His fiancée has bought a dog for her hyperactive daughter against his wishes. Thanks to a conspiracy between the girl and the dog, the whole family ends up on vacation in the middle of the Šumava "wilderness." At first, the alternative vacation seems idyllic. All the plans of the ambitious father and caring mother gradually fall apart when the daughter and the dog meet someone who understands them. And that person has friends at the guesthouse where the family is staying. Of course, the mother and her fiancé find these people a little crazy. But the girl and the dog are perfectly happy with them. The life full of restrictions and obligations that the girl has led so far is becoming a thing of the past. None of the adults who find themselves in their vicinity can be sure that their lives will not change, whether they want it or not.
Alice Nellis's small-scale debut tragicomedy spotlights small-town elections. The protagonist, a university student name Jana (Theodora Remundová) who is trying to solve a troubled relationship with a married man, takes her mother's place on the election commission. In the meantime the mother (Iva Janzurová) is going through her own small domestic crisis with her husband (Leos SucharÃpa). Thanks to excellent acting performances and restrained direction, the film convincingly outlines interpersonal relations and their light social overtones.
In an attic full of discarded junk, a pretty doll called Buttercup lives in an old trunk together with her friends, the marionette Prince Charming, lazy Teddy Bear and the plasticine creature Schubert. When Buttercup is snatched and taken off to the Land of Evil, her pals set out to rescue her.
The world's top thieves join forces to pull off the heist of a lifetime. But when they find themselves pursued across Europe by a legendary French detective, they'll have to take their game to the next level.
The story of a young woman who takes it upon herself to save her brothers and rid them of a curse which they were put under by their mother.
Liesel Landauer and her friend Hana are linked by a lifelong relationship and an exceptional house built by the architect Von Abt for Liesel and her husband Viktor in Czechoslovakia in the early 1930s.
The fate of three Catholic priests were linked together through tragic events a few years back. Every year, on the anniversary of the catastrophe, they gather to celebrate their survival of the tragedy. Lisowski works at a curia in a big city, building his career while dreaming of the Vatican. Standing in his way, Mordowicz, the archbishop, a luxurious church dignitary who is making use of his political connections to build the largest sanctuary in Poland. Trybus, is a parish priest and often submits to human weaknesses. Kukuła also is not doing well. Despite his passion for faith, he is losing the trust of his flock. Soon, through new tragic events, the paths of the three priests will cross again.
Historic adventurism movie inspirited by legend about mystery monk, alchemist and healer who made the flying machine according to lost book wrote by Leodardo DaVinci in 18th century.
The story is based on Operation Stone, during which State Security agents deliberately misled citizens of the Czechoslovak Republic who were attempting to leave the country illegally by creating fake borders and fake border patrols and interrogation teams from American, German, and French authorities. During interrogations, State Security officers convinced detainees that they had actually crossed the state border of our republic and obtained information from unsuspecting people, which was then used in criminal proceedings.
Magic and spells in the peaceful town of Jack-o'-lantern, which you will not find on any map. A funny story telling you how a magician's visit can turn his life back and how Ondra may have been fortunate enough. In the poetic fairy-tale grotesque, taking place in the non-existent town of Jack-o'-lantern, the time has stopped. The hands on the clocks show twelve minutes in twelve minutes, as if they were symbolically giving the last chance. Only the mysterious figure of Acrude knows how the story of the bluddy and the fate of his heroes will come. The well-known clairvoyant Heliodromus arrives in town. In front of school, the main hero of the story Ondra is acquainted with his daughter, Adelka...
Jura, a reluctant university student already smitten with someone else, is swept off by his father’s eccentric friend Stano to fulfill an age-old promise and meet the mysterious bride from a Slovak village. What follows is a rollicking road trip of comic mishaps and heartfelt moments that ultimately teaches them all about friendship, adventure, and finding one’s own path.
Forest engineer Ivan fell in love with scientist Julie. After their wedding, they bought a guesthouse in the heart of the picturesque Šumava Mountains, where they moved in with Julie's 16-year-old daughter Kačka and her dachshund Hugo. However, Ivan and Julie are primarily focused on having a child and neglect the running of the guesthouse. Julie falls into despair and begins visiting the charlatan Kallvíni, who is supposed to help her get pregnant. It is therefore no surprise that crowds of guests are not flocking to their guesthouse when no one knows about this beautiful place. In addition, the guesthouse is run by two incompetent old women whom Julie hired to help out. Fortunately, her daughter Kačka, who had ADHD as a child and has been listening to her Hugo ever since, comes up with the idea of running a "Guesthouse for dogs... and their owners" with her four-legged friend.
The fate of an unlucky director of a dismantled cultural house who temporarily believes in the meaningfulness of his actions, exposed to the pressure of many different difficulties.
From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York's most famous concert halls, Edith Piaf's life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in her grandmother's brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee, who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. Piaf became one of France's immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 20th century.
Three sixteen year-old friends on a summer holiday are trying to lose their virginity. Finally they succeed with a help of a local girl Lenka (Vankova).
With humor our adventure story deals with the timeless theme of the conflict between unlimited power on the one hand, and the desire for freedom, courage and love on the other. A troupe of buskers lands on an island governed by a despotic ruler with strict police control. When, during their performance, a shot fired from a circus cannon goes astray, it triggers a series of unexpected events. A young man and woman, Drin and Tuvi, and Nathan the seagull have to enter into an uneven struggle with totalitarian power. A struggle which eventually changes the fates of all the island inhabitants - both human and feathered.
The life story of Jan Amos Comenius, who became probably the most famous Czech exile due to his beliefs and opinions. He spent most of his life outside his homeland, but nevertheless, with his unique ideas, which he recorded in almost 200 books and writings, he was far ahead of his time and influenced the whole world.
When rumors spread about a "child prodigy" among the Mozarts in Salzburg, the archbishop orders an investigation in which the seven-year-old Wolfgang has to demonstrate his talent before a committee of scholars. Soon afterwards, Leopold Mozart and his son are traveling all over Europe to play for patrons and admirers. The new Archbishop of Salzburg, Count Colloredo, is not very enthusiastic about Mozart and dismisses him. Mozart marries Constanze Weber, settles in Vienna and has his first successes, earning him commissions and the goodwill of Josef II. In the last years of his life, his situation worsens; Mozart runs into financial difficulties and health problems, but still works incessantly.
A well-known writer now aged 75 is aware of his increasing age and the risk that his literary style will grow worn. His everyday existence is enlivened by characters from his stories, who tend to enter reality in unexpected ways, at various stages of completeness and with all kinds of strange demands.
Accepting responsibility for his wife's murder after he has left her, Jan starts pursuing the criminal himself to make sure the culprit doesn't avoid punishment.
What is the meaning of life? What is love, humor, fear and death? Is it all just a dream? Who are we and where are we heading? Will we wake up, will we remember?
The story, set in the 1930s, takes place in the peaceful summer atmosphere of a small town, where the famous barrel organ player Ferdinand Houra arrives with his song, which is particularly popular with the local women and girls. It tells the story of the turbulent love affair between a young lawyer, Jindřich Koza, and the charming Alžběta, daughter of the prominent lawyer Drbohlav...
The little man enjoys social life in the forest village, runs a forest kiosk with Majolenka, and has a band with his friends. The idyll is disrupted by reports of strange deer threatening the forest inhabitants. Suspicion is also aroused by the eccentric protector Dr. Zetek, who distributes televisions throughout the forest. Fear gradually takes hold of the villagers, the forest is swarming with robots, and the kiosk is empty. The little man must once again set out on a journey to save his beloved Majolenka, his friends, and indeed his home.
People can be addicted to things, like high-calorie food. But the struggle against overweight and overeating is often futile, so the unfortunates have no choice but to lose weight under the guidance of experts - and they don't mind that the conditions in the sanatorium in question are quite oppressive and humiliating. Although, with a lot of good will, one could detect some metaphorical elements, the bitter comedy, reveling in naive stylisation, ultimately wants to be nothing more than an entertaining piece of work.
After being expelled from Beecher Prep for his treatment of a classmate with a facial deformity, Julian has struggled to fit in at his new school. To transform his life, Julian's grandmother finally reveals her own story of courage of her youth in Nazi-occupied France, where a classmate shelters her from mortal danger.
An elderly paper-crusher branded a fool in Prague secretly stashes condemned books, preserving their contents and extrapolating from them eccentric scenarios of wit.