Archive of films 1968 – Betrayal / Rok 68 – Zrada

Czech Republic
2008, 52 min

Section: Documentary Films - Out of Competition
Year: 2008

The second part of this evocative series devoted to the Prague Spring charts the fundamental events that occurred after the August invasion in the years 1968 and 1969. After hope was steamrolled by Soviet tanks, the betrayed country once again began living in an atmosphere of fear, mistrust, lies and the hypocrisy that came with the destruction of the human character.

Synopsis

The second part of the series devoted to the Prague Spring charts the fundamental events which took place during the years 1968–1969. After the leaders of the Czechoslovak Communist Party returned from Moscow, opinions were voiced that the future of the country depended on its ties with the Soviet Union. After hope was steamrolled by the Soviet tanks, the betrayed country once again began living in an atmosphere of fear, lies and hypocrisy. The nation was roused from its profound lethargy only by the death of Jan Palach, the first of the “human torches”. After his burial and after the bloody suppression of the demonstrations on the first anniversary of the occupation, the era of timeless normalisation began.

About the director

Viktor Polesný has also directed made-for-TV films and productions in addition to his many television documentaries and two series. Foremost among them are Traces in Glass (1986), Faust (1988), Imaginary Portrait (1990), Divertimento (1991), Snake Eyes (1993), A Theatre Novel (1994) based on M. Bulgakov, and an adaptation of Franz Werfel’s Class Reunion (2000). His film version of D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover (1998) won a number of awards at TV festivals. Three years ago he made his feature-film debut with an adaptation of Vladimír Páral’s Lovers and Murderers.

Contacts

Czech Television, Festival Department
Kavčí Hory, 140 70, Praha 4
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 261 137 438; +420 261 137 106
Fax: +420 261 211 354
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
www: www.ceskatelevize.cz

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About the film

Color, DIGIBETA
International premiere

Section:	Documentary Films - Out of Competition

Director:	Viktor Polesný
Screenplay:	Pavel Kosatík
Dir. of Photography:	Kristián Hynek
Music:	Kamil Holub
Editor:	Zdeněk Patočka
Producer:	Anna Becková
Production:	Česká televize / Czech Television
Contact:	Czech Television, Festival Department

Guests

Jitka Procházková

Festival Organizer, TV Representative