Michal Houdek

Honza was born in 1974 into the cheerless era of socialism in Czechoslovakia. At that time, his parents Jana and Petr lived in one room in the apartment of Jana's divorced mother and her widowed grandmother. A few years later, the family moved from Prague to Liberec where Petr found a job and a little house for the family. When Honza was born, his father began writing a family chronicle and he has continued to do so for 37 years. "Private Universe" show not only the life of one ordinary family, but also how the Czech society has changed in last four decades. Who are we, where do we come from and where do we go?

Ruth and Magda have been inseparable friends since childhood. They both went to college and both fell in love with the same guy. Ruth has won the fight for love, and has put Magda before the tough decision: to give up Adam and maintain friendship with Ruth, or give preference to his heart? When Adam gets a dream internship abroad and leaves for Austria, Ruth takes his fresh pregnancies and refuses to go with him. But in time, Ruth convinces Magda to start behind Adam and try to get him back. However, Magda exploits the situation, acquires Adam for herself and marries him abroad. After years, Magda returns home and the old injustices come to life.

A Little Piece of Heaven tells 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.

Una montaña en el fin del mundo es el escenario de un pueblo cuyos habitantes siguen adorando los dioses de siglos atrás y viven de la cosecha. Durante la boda de Verona, una manada de lobos se introduce al pueblo y convierten la ceremonia en un baño de sangre. Verona es rescatada por Goran, un niño de diez años quien debe desposar a la hija de Verona cuando esta haya nacido, según los patrones de sus costumbres. Diez años más tarde, un circo ambulante llega al pueblo y con éste una renovación a la vida del lugar por parte de las mujeres circenses; no obstante, con este cambio también arriba la civilización y todos sus males.

Una mirada documental a prostitutas masculinas condenadas en Praga, de entre 15 y 18 años, que se pasean por la piscina pública, la estación de tren, una sala de juegos de video y una discoteca. Después de que los chicos hablan de cómo entraron en el juego, la cámara los sigue hasta la casa de Pavel Rousek. Bajo el nombre de Hans Miller, realiza videos porno gay, principalmente para distribución en Alemania. Intercalado con un rodaje de la película Chez Rousek es una entrevista que lo sigue a su trabajo diario en una morgue, donde realiza una autopsia mientras habla de su trabajo. El sexo no tiene protección; los chicos no tienen familia. Hablan de sus cuerpos y almas, del dinero, de su orientación sexual, del SIDA, de sus sueños y de la muerte.

"The whole film talks about the time when I was first locked up, from sixteen till now, I’m 22 now, and during that whole time I was out maybe five months, and I’ve really had it by now. It’s also about why I’d given my life to Jesus Christ and then failed that Jesus in me because I was tempted by earthly pleasures; and it’s also about how every time I’m ready to start a new life, I get locked up again because it’s always too late. It’s just too late. That’s the greatest shame and that’s what it’s about..."

Lada is a product of "educational“ or "corrective“ institutions. Not only is he not educated or corrected, he simply does not understand anything about life. He solves his problems in his own way – by swallowing sharp objects.

René has been in prison since he was 16. He is sick of life and doesn’t care about his parents (just as René’s parents never cared about him when he was a child); he doesn’t even know how many more children they had. After the general amnesty, René just hangs around, not satisfied in any job, and with his younger brother he starts stealing. In no time he is back in prison, this time joined by his brother who is still a youth. History repeats itself and René’s life philosophy seems to be confirmed: You enjoy your freedom for a while, then go to prison and the same thing happens all over again.

Pavlina is a drug addict imprisoned, as well as her boyfriend, for illegal drug manufacturing. They meet again after the amnesty and the vicious circle of drugs starts rolling again.