Martin Huba

“A burned-out group of Brno intellectuals decides to go to Kolochava in Ukraine to perform ‘A Ballad for a Bandit’ there.” With these words, the author's collective presents their film, in which they use primarily documentary imagery to compose a lyrical grotesque about an epochal trip, which might be their goal. But it doesn't have to be. The main tool of expression here is the film’s edit, which places various shots, statements, and meanings next to each other, often in a sort of productive conflict. Just like in a poem, the “poetic function” of art and its ability to serve as the primary tool for expressing beauty is manifested in full force before our very eyes.

El presidente de Checoslovaquia, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, pasea y conversa junto al escritor Karel Capek sobre la política, la vida, el amor... Este último intentará convencer al primero de que le permita publicar el libro que ha estado escribiendo sobre el político.

Salzburgo, Alemania, 2000. La anciana actriz checa Lída Baarová relata a una periodista la tumultuosa historia de su ascenso a la fama en el Berlín de los años treinta y su apasionada relación con el siniestro Joseph Goebbels, ministro de Propaganda del Tercer Reich.

An opera troupe in a small town decides to perform Mozart's Don Giovanni. The view behind the scenes uncovers the world of opera without the glitter. A tale of love and disappointment, about music and passionate love-making and about people that live their lives in spite of the opera.

Loyalty, history and regret take center stage for university professor Pavel Josek, lauded for standing up to the communist regime when it counted most. But as a TV documentary starts to focus in on the facts of his past, new truths are uncovered which may threaten his reputation.

A 19 year old nonconformist poet living in 1947 Czechoslovakia is blind to the Communist behemoth looking over him, and instead lives a bohemian life with sexually liberated girls.

Praga, Checoeslovaquia, durante el período de entreguerras. Jan Dítě, un joven y avispado camarero que quiere hacerse millonario, llega a la conclusión de que para alcanzar su ambicioso objetivo debe ser diligente, escuchar y observar todo lo que pueda, ser siempe discreto y usar lo aprendido en su propio beneficio; pero las turbulentas mareas de la historia se interpondrán continuamente en su camino.

Tras asistir al funeral de su madre, Jean Barlot emprende un viaje y se detiene a pasar la noche en una pensión. Durante el sueño causa destrozos en la habitación. A la mañana siguiente, averigua que un extraño marqués que se hospeda allí ha pagado los desperfectos y que, además, lo invita a pasar la noche en su castillo. Barlot acepta la invitación, pero sus fuertes convicciones morales y religiosas sufrirán un fuerte impacto al espíar al marqués y a sus amigos.

Radiografía de un grupo de vecinos que habitan en un barrio obrero de una pequeña ciudad checa que muestra las cicatrices de la industrialización. Monika, Tonik y Dasha son amigos de la infancia. Viven en un conjunto de bloques en las afueras de una pequeña ciudad industrial, cerca de la mayor planta química del país. Monika, una chica amable y con un gran corazón, trabaja en un supermercado mientras espera que su novio George, que ha emigrado a EEUU, le mande el billete de avión para reunirse con él. Tonik, que está enamorado de Monika, ha dejado a unos padres conservadores para refugiarse en la vieja granja de una tía inconformista. Dasha, que tiene dos hijos pequeños, sale con un hombre casado y empieza a perder la cabeza. Cuando la ingresan en un hospital psiquiátrico, Monika y Tonik se hacen cargo de sus dos niños...

The nurse Helga meets Baltic nobleman Arno when he's wounded in the Russo-Finnish war. They have a short but passionate affair before Arno is called back to the front and dies. Helga has a daughter, Dorli, as a result of the affair and they have to struggle to survive after the Red Army wins the war.

II Guerra Mundial (1939-1945). En un pequeño pueblo checo ocupado por los alemanes, viven Josef y Marie Cizek, una pareja sin hijos. Él es un sarcástico antinazi que debe reprimir sus comentarios para evitar ser ejecutado. Un día aparece en el pueblo David, un joven judío que ha logrado escapar de un campo de concentración en el que ha muerto el resto de su familia. Los Cizek le ofrecen refugio en su casa a pesar de los riesgos que esto implica. Horst, un compañero de Josef que colabora con los nazis, al sospechar que éste oculta algo en su casa, aprovecha la ocasión para cortejar a Marie. Cuando ella lo rechaza, decide vengarse. (FILMAFFINITY)

Oligophrenic Fany (Bohdalová) lives with her aunt who suddenly manages to travel abroad. Fany has to move to her sister (Jirásková). Two very different women, one mentally disabled and the second one intelligent doctor has to live together and learn from each other about tolerance, loneliness, life and why call dogs "Mister".

An interesting attempt at a postmodern crazy comedy with elements of parody. The plot turns on the search for the recipe of a liqueur made by the film’s financial backer.

A funny outlaw tale inspired by traditional folk humour. Pacho is no ordinary outlaw. He detests injustice and feudal oppression and he copes with each troublesome situation with the help of his cleverness and wit.

A girl is transformed into a maple tree by her impulsive and angry mother. Three poor wandering musicians come by the tree and create instruments from it. Walking around the country instead of happiness they bring death everywhere with their cursed instruments. However they cannot get rid of them, unless they bury the wooden instruments at the place of the tree. The three are anything but harmonious, each taking in their disputes various stances.

Zivorad, unassuming young man from the village, is 'pushed' from his uncle to high positions, becoming a police inspector who is looking for hashish, a scientist, a man who rises agriculture land and whatnot...

"Using the same, three times repeating dialogue – dramatic conversation between man and woman – Jerzy Skolimowski from Poland, Slovak director Peter Solan and Czech director Zbynìk Brynych shot three different stories. The result was an extraordinary experiment in the world cinema, which we can call an insight in the relationships of men and women of different age groups, an analysis of love and marriage of those who are at the beginning, in the middle or going towards the end of their life."