Czech Films 2007-2008 2008 / Václav / Czech Republic 2007
Mentally disabled villager Václav lives in his own playful, poetic world but comes into increasing conflict with his neighbours, colleagues and members of his family. This tragicomedy by Jiří Vejdělek starring Ivan Trojan and Jan Budař was inspired by a real story from the 1990s which received considerable exposure through the clemency granted by President Václav Havel.
The autistic Václav is regarded as a harmless enough soul but, as the years pass, he causes increasing problems, and his neighbours in the village and his colleagues in the agricultural cooperative are running out of patience. Locked in his own playful, poetic world, he lives with his aging mum who fondly accepts her son’s madcap ideas and excesses. But the majority think that someone who shoots at passers-by with an air rifle and tries to drive a tractor for fun belongs in an institution. Even the man’s respectable younger brother František refuses to take him under his wing anymore. Then one of Václav’s reckless exploits lands him in prison. Who will find the courage to sign the petition for his release? This tragicomedy is inspired by a real story from the 1990s which received considerable exposure when the protagonist was granted clemency by former President Václav Havel. Ivan Trojan and Jan Budař won Czech Lions for their performances.
97 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Jiří Vejdělek
/ Screenplay Marek Epstein, Jiří Vejdělek
/ Dir. of Photography Jakub Šimůnek
/ Music Jan P. Muchow
/ Editor Jan Daňhel
/ Producer Jaroslav Bouček
/ Production Buc – Film s.r.o.
/ Cast Ivan Trojan, Emília Vášáryová, Jan Budař, Jiří Lábus, Soňa Norisová, Petra Špalková
/ Contact BUC-FILM, s.r.o., Simply Cinema, s.r.o., Pragofilm
/ Distributor Pragofilm
www: www.filmvaclav.cz
Jiří Vejdělek (b. 1972, Šluknov) graduated in film direction from FAMU after studying at the Teaching College in Ústí nad Labem. He attracted attention with his student films (Sweets / Sladkosti, 1999, selected for the short film programme at the Cannes IFF). He signalled his interest in comedic material straight away with his feature film debut Holiday Makers (Účastníci zájezdu, 2006), an adaptation of Michal Viewegh’s bestselling novel that became the biggest Czech box office hit of 2006 and won Eva Holubová a Best Actress award at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York in 2006 and a Special Jury Prize for the entire cast. Last year, in addition to Václav, Vejdělek directed the poetic comedy Roming, also written by Marek Epstein. He also works in television (the series The Office / Redakce).
BUC-FILM, s.r.o.
Čs. Armády 405 / 8, 160 00, Praha 6
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 251 819 441
Fax: +420 267 073 516
E-mail: [email protected]
Simply Cinema, s.r.o.
Na Pískách 1157/62, 160 00, Praha 6
Czech Republic
E-mail: [email protected]
Pragofilm
Klimentská 46, 110 00, Praha 1
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 723 389 238
E-mail: [email protected]
Jaroslav Bouček
Producer
Jakub Šimůnek
Director of Photography
Ivan Trojan
Actor
Eliška Kaplicky-Fuchsová
Producer
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