Marian Roden

The Czech Century

Czech Century brings the key moments of the history of the Czech nation from 1918 to 1989.

The Invisibles

A businessman discovers he has a hidden gene that enables him to breathe water, threatening the existence of the secret Aquarian race, in this charming, comedic fantasy drama from the Czech Republic.

Burning Bush

Based on real characters and events, this haunting drama focuses on the personal sacrifice of a Prague history student, Jan Palach, who set himself on fire in protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1969. Dagmar Burešová, a young female lawyer, became part of his legacy by defending Jan's family in a trial against the communist government, a regime which tried to dishonour Palach’s sacrifice, a heroic action for the freedom of Czechoslovakia.

Past

In 1951, the well-known Czech actress Jiřina Štěpničková receives a letter from Austria from director František Čáp, who has recently emigrated. He invites her to the West and promises her roles in theater and film. She decides to seize the opportunity and flee. Together with a small group of people and her young son Jirka, she entrusts herself to a smuggler and embarks on a risky journey across the border. But something goes wrong. They are caught. Everything had been planned in advance. The smuggler himself is a member of the StB. But that's only the beginning.

Spaceman

Six months into a solo mission, a lonely astronaut confronts the cracks in his marriage with help from a mysterious creature he discovers on his ship.

Mária Terézia

The young Maria Theresia sees her life clearly in front of her: she will marry Franz Stephan of Lorraine and start a family of many with him. Even if Franz Stephan is not quite sure of his luck and her father, Emperor Charles VI, and his powerful advisor Prince Eugene of Savoy forge quite different plans for them. It looks quite as if the young archduchess must sacrifice her happiness to the cause of the state

Wild Flowers

Seven seemingly unconnected fairy tales - glued together only by folklore, mood, color and light - make up this Czech collection of visual poetry. The original piece of literature, written by Karel Jaromír Erben in 1853, contained twelve tales.

Polda

Grapes

This unofficial Czech remake of Alexander Payne's blockbuster seriocomedy Sideways (2004) concerns Jirka and Honza, two friends who check in as complete opposites on every level; Honza is a polished urbanite, Jirka a nickel-and-dime crook with a flair for wooing women. The men's friendship is characterized by an unending series of wild schemes and escapades. When Honza learns of his grandfather's impending death, it brings him face-to-face with his own mortality and encourages him to fulfill his long-held dream, while he still has the opportunity: to embark on a dream vacation to the vineyards of Morovia, with buddy Jirka in tow.

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