Czech Dream

A woman falls victim to a dominant mafia boss, who imprisons her and gives her one year to fall in love with him.

From the makers of legendary CZECH DREAM, a hilarious documentary about a hoax hypermarket, comes CZECH PEACE, a new playfully explosive flm about the mayor of a small Czech village and his attempts to foil the American plan to build its 762nd military base right on his doorstep. The players in this story are everyone from villagers to George W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Barack Obama, peace activists and lobbyists representing American arms manufacturers. Can the Mayor of Trokavec (population 80) take the US on? CZECH PEACE shows the workings of geopolitics and the way they affect the little people. The personal clashes with the impersonal, the specifc with the universal, and an individual with the so-called great history.

Part documentary, part mockumentary and part stranger-than-fiction lesson in guerilla tactics, Velvet Terrorists is a quirky profile of three very different men and their former attempts to take down the communist regime of Czechoslovakia – by blowing the hell out of it. Having all spent time in prison for their crimes, one-time bombers Stanislav, Frantisek and Vladimir muse on their personal histories, the fall of the regime and their journey into middle age.

A surprisingly intimate portrait of how the dream of running one’s own business can take on monstrous contours. Managed by the father of one of the singers, over the course of five years the girl band 5Angels had reached the gates of pop fame. But it is a path paved not only with the songs of Michal David, but also with the dogged determination of a man who loses any notion of where his role as manager ends and his role as parent begins. An emotionally moved Karel Gott, five angelic girls, and one overly involved father, thanks to whom the behind-the-scenes pre-Christmas atmosphere melts away just as rapidly as the fat should disappear from the belly. “A singer can’t be a lard bucket!”

Over the course of one year, this film follows the life of an ordinary Pyongyang family whose daughter was chosen to take part in Day of the Shining Star (Kim Jong-il's birthday) celebration. While North Korean government wanted a propaganda film, the director kept on filming between the scripted scenes. The ritualized explosions of color and joy contrast sharply with pale everyday reality, which is not particularly terrible, but rather quite surreal.

Working conditions in the worst-paid jobs in the Czech Republic were examined by journalist Saša Uhlová during six months. She spent several weeks in a hospital laundrette, poultry house, cash register or waste sorting facility. Her experience became the basis of a lived and very personal report of invisible employees working in appalling conditions. Uhlová wrote a series of reports on her project that were published on the Alarm website. Apolena Rychlíková made them into a documentary film consisting of scenes shot at Uhlová's home and video footage taken during her work. Uhlová accompanies the picture with read commentary.

The action of the film begins in the 1970s – even then, the young protagonist knows that adrenaline tastes better than powdered milk. Over time, he also discovers a desire for money, power, and being above the law. A transformation begins, and his gangster talent blossoms. Together with a friend, they build their own army.

While Ukraine is fighting, how does it affect the rear? For a year and a half, Vitaly Mansky has portrayed his hometown of Lviv, where everyone’s existence is shaped by the Russian missiles’ flight time to their targets.

When the Okamura brothers left Japan with their mother as children, their grandmother looked after the eldest, Hayato, whilst their mother was ill, whilst Osamu and Tomio spent just under a year in a children’s home. Yet this continuing story of one family gave rise to very different destinies. Their political careers have placed Hayato and Tomio on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum. Hayato has dedicated his life to Christian values and the pursuit of consensus, whilst Tomio ‘protects’ the Czech people from a wave of immigrants. The youngest brother, Osamu, who works as an architect, can be found, for example, at a demonstration for the rights of the Roma. The intertwining of the three brothers’ current, often conflicting visions serves as concrete evidence of how personal and social experiences shape the political landscape.

“Most prisoners like boxes.” The constrained nature of prisons opens up an infinitude of fantasies and free artistic expression. Environment determines means of expression. A project of confrontation and dialogue with artists from the outside shows radical diff erences and a conspiratory divergence from social norms. This essay on imaginary and physical freedom introduces us to the extreme thoughts of our own boundaries and limitations.

A documentary about bizarre residents of Shutka, a Macedonian village built on the former city dump area. Shutka, where everyone is the champion of something. This film is a celebration of the culture, humor, spirit, oddities and idiosyncrasies of the Roma, one of the world's poorest and most persecuted peoples. Ultimately we are instructed in the celebration of life despite any and all circumstances - everyone is of value here.

Folklore collectors and con artists, Jake and Will Grimm, travel from village to village pretending to protect townsfolk from enchanted creatures and performing exorcisms. However, they are put to the test when they encounter a real magical curse in a haunted forest with real magical beings, requiring genuine courage.

Painter Francisco Goya becomes involved with the Spanish Inquisition after his muse, Inés, is arrested by the church for heresy. Her family turns to him, hoping that his connection with fanatical Inquisitor Lorenzo, whom he is painting, can secure her release.

A small band of desperate freedom fighters must topple a vicious dictator before he destroys mankind's last hope.

The action-packed feature film tells the dramatic tale of two siblings and their Alaskan Malamute, who must make an emergency landing when their small plane has engine problems. They find themselves in a beautiful but potentially dangerous natural environment that they must overcome together.

Somewhere in the Forbidden Forest lives the evil wizard Kruciatus. A hundred years ago, he attempted to destroy the kingdom now ruled by King Alexander, who has two sons - the heir to the throne, John, and the younger prince, Charles. However, Charles refuses to accept his role as second in line at any cost. With the help of his servant Pakosta, he breaks into a forbidden chamber in the castle, obtains magical props left behind by the evil wizard, and intends to destroy his brother. Prince John drinks a magic potion served to him by his mischievous brother, which instantly erases his memory. John then recklessly sets off on a journey to the Forbidden Forest, where everyone who has ever entered has disappeared without a trace.

Following the fall of the Roman Empire, a Roman woman plots to make her son the new Emperor and to fulfill the former glory of the city.

35-year-old Eliska has a wedding and is waiting for her big moment. Instead of his "yes", the groom says "no" and runs away from the altar. Fortunately, overwhelmed Eliska has a great friend with a clear recipe for what needs to be done. She herself alternates boys as socks and therefore immediately bases her profile on a dating site. She doesn't like it very much, but she is middle-aged, she's single and she's afraid the train won't miss her. And she wants to take life more firmly in her hands. She therefore throws herself into a blind date and tries to find new love between a series of catastrophic meetings. At the same time, she has to move quickly and the only option is to live with her half-brother, a weirdo who grows bees on the roof and who does not want her at home.

Serial killer Molly Keller, along with a few insane youngsters agrees to be a trail subject for an unconventional experiment. But, the experiment turns unsuccessful and the subjects begin to die.

Prince Victor looks in vain for a swan which was wounded by one of his servants. Instead he discovers a beautiful girl with golden hair who has an arrow in her shoulder. She is dumb and can't explain her origin. He falls immediately for her. The girl quickly recovers, but disappears mysteriously.

The sick King Jorgen worries about the marriage of his daughter Elena. The fairytale-like, dramatic confusion triggers a shimmering golden fire bird with its wondrous song every full moon night - it makes the king heal and brings the "good" prince as husband of the "good" Princess Elena.

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.

Four good friends from their youth—Karel, Filip, Pupík, and Caprio—meet over a beer at a pub. During this gathering, memories of the legendary Bambus camp, where they regularly went in their youth and spent the best years of their lives, keep coming back to them. Out of pure nostalgia, they decide to visit the camp again—but this time on bikes! Since Karel has just left the army, Filip has quit his job as a doctor at a women's clinic, and Caprio is a freelance actor, they have plenty of time. Pupík takes time off work, and they're ready to go! At the last minute, however, Karel is put in charge of his teenage son Jura, who, like his father, is not at all happy about spending several days together. But everything is already planned, so in the spirit of Karel's military motto, "Just us, instinct, and nature," the five set off for Bambus Camp...

A sensual summer comedy for discerning audiences. In a small town with a nostalgic swimming pool, a variety bar, and a pink pastry shop, a couple in love, an aging playboy, a lifeguard, and a variety artist named Marčélo and his much younger wife Eliška are constantly fighting. Their encounters are full of jealousy and sensual love. Their relationship is disrupted by Marčélo's son Mican and, in particular, the sensual barmaid Hedvika. However, there is also the strange director Motýlek, who is in town to shoot a film.