Film Archive

Kawasaki's Rose

Czech Films 2009-2010 2010 / Kawasakiho růže / Czech Republic 2009

Renowned psychiatrist Pavel Josek is singled out to receive a "Memory of the Nation” medal, however, it transpires that this reputedly morally irreproachable dissident once collaborated with state security agencies, informing on a former friend of his wife, Bořek, and ultimately being responsible for the latter’s forced emigration. Josek’s family and close friends try to come to terms with these new facts. But which (and whose) truth is at stake here? In a story about guilt, punishment, forgiveness and remorse, experienced director Jan Hřebejk tries his hand at psychological drama for the first time. The film won two Czech Lions and the Ecumenical Jury and C.I.C.A.E. Awards in the Panorama section at this year’s Berlinale.

Synopsis

Renowned psychiatrist Pavel Josek is singled out to receive a "Memory of the Nation” medal but it transpires that this reputedly morally irreproachable dissident once collaborated with state security agencies, informing on his wife’s former boyfriend. Josek’s family and close friends try to come to terms with these new facts – each in his own way, with differing opinions, feelings and memories, none of which necessarily reflects the truth. But which truth is at stake here? Director Jan Hřebejk and screenwriter Petr Jarchovský have examined socially oppressive themes before. However, in a story about guilt, punishment, forgiveness and remorse, they have moved away from comic hyperbole in order to try their hand at psychological drama. The film, whose title was inspired by the name given to what is supposedly the most difficult origami model (its complexity reflecting the relationships between the main protagonists), won Czech Lions for the actors in the supporting roles, Ladislav Chudík and Daniela Kolářová. The film opened the Panorama section at this year’s Berlinale.

About the film

95 min / Color, 35 mm

Director Jan Hřebejk / Screenplay Petr Jarchovský / Dir. of Photography Martin Šácha / Music Aleš Březina / Editor Vladimír Barák / Producer Rudolf Biermann, Tomáš Hoffman / Production In Film Praha, INFINITY Prague Ltd. / Cast Lenka Vlasáková, Daniela Kolářová, Martin Huba, Milan Mikulčík, Antonín Kratochvíl, Petra Hřebíčková, Ladislav Chudík, Martin Schulz, Anna Šimonová, Isao Onoda / Contact In Film Praha s.r.o., Menemsha Films, Inc. , Bontonfilm, a.s. / Distributor Bontonfilm, a.s.

About the director

Jan Hřebejk (b. 1967, Prague) has been asserting his position as a commercially successful and critically acclaimed Czech director since his feature debut, the retro-musical Big Beat (1993). His films have won him a series of Czech and international awards. Filmography: the family tragicomedy Cosy Dens (1999 – FIPRESCI Award and Special Mention at KVIFF), the bitter-sweet tale set during the Nazi occupation Divided We Fall (2000 – Czech Lion for Best Director, Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film), the "normalisation” tragicomedy Pupendo (2003), the tear-jerking comedy set in the present Up and Down (2004 – Czech Lions for Best Director and Best Film, among others), the love story Beauty in Trouble (2006 – three Czech Lions, Special Jury Prize at KVIFF), the generational tragicomedy Teddy Bear (2007) and the acerbic comedies I’m All Good and Shameless (both 2008).

Contacts

In Film Praha s.r.o.
Žitná 23, 110 00, Praha 1
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 222 515 357
Fax: +420 222 515 613
E-mail: [email protected]

Menemsha Films, Inc.
213 Rose Avenue, 2nd floor, CA 902 91, Venice
United States of America
Phone: +1 310 452 1775
Fax: +1 310 452 3740
E-mail: [email protected]

Bontonfilm, a.s.
Na Poříčí 1047/26, 110 00, Praha 1
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 257 415 111
E-mail: [email protected]