Archive of films Identity Card / Občanský průkaz

Czech Republic / Slovak Republic
2010, 137 min

Section: Czech Films 2010–2011
Year: 2011

Prague’s district of Bubeneč, 1974. Petr and his mates receive their ID cards when they reach the age of 15. Instead of symbolising a landmark in their adolescence, it represents an obligatory ticket to the world of socialist totalitarian rule.... This tragicomedy by director Ondřej Trojan offers an appealing evocation of the music subculture and lifestyle of the 1970s. The film was nominated for eleven Czech Lion awards.

Synopsis

Prague, 1974. Petr and his classmates Popelka, Aleš and Míťa are ceremoniously presented with their identity cards at the age of 15. Officially, this is a landmark in the life of socialist citizens – in reality, however, it’s a document the police can use to humiliate and manipulate young rebels at their convenience. The four friends’ post-pubertal trials come to an end in 1977 when they attempt to acquire a "blue book” enabling them to avoid compulsory service in the Communist army. Both together and independently, the friends try to maintain their sense of humour and levelheadedness in the totalitarian environment – and endeavour not to compromise themselves with the regime like their parents. This acerbic comedy by director and producer Ondřej Trojan was inspired by the book of the same name by Petr Šabach. The film isn’t aimed at people who witnessed the era, but at the younger generation of viewers, whom it obliges with a cast of young protagonists and an appealing evocation of the music subculture and lifestyle of the period. The film was nominated for eleven Czech Lion awards.

About the director

Ondřej Trojan (b. 1959, Prague) is a producer, director and actor. He hails from a family of actors, but he studied maths and chemistry at the Education Faculty. He worked at Barrandov for two years as a prop man and began studying direction at FAMU in 1985. He interrupted his studies in 1990 to make the feature-length comedy Let’s All Sing Around. He teamed up with colleagues from Sklep Theatre to establish the production company Total HelpArt T.H.A., through which he produced a number of audience hits, specifically those directed by Jan Hřebejk, particularly Cosy Dens (1999), Divided We Fall (2000 – Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film), Pupendo (2003), Up and Down (2004) and Beauty in Trouble (2006). His second feature, the war drama Zelary (2003), was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Contacts

Total HelpArt T.H.A.
Kříženeckého nám. 322, 152 53, Praha 5
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 267 073 007
Fax: +420 267 073 836
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.tha.cz

Falcon a.s.
Radlická 1c/3185, 150 00, Praha 5
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 422 222
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.falcon.cz

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About the film

Color, 35 mm
International premiere

Section:	Czech Films 2010–2011

Director:	Ondřej Trojan
Screenplay:	Petr Jarchovský podle stejnojmenného románu Petra Šabacha / inspired by Petr Šabach’s novel of the same name
Dir. of Photography:	Martin Štrba
Music:	Petr Ostrouchov
Editor:	Vladimír Barák
Producer:	Ondřej Trojan
Production:	Total HelpArt T.H.A.
Cast:	Libor Kovář, Matouš Vrba, Jan Vlček, Jakub Šárka, Anna Geislerová, Martin Myšička, Marek Taclík, Kristýna Liška-Boková
Contact:	Total HelpArt T.H.A., Falcon a.s.
Distributor:	Falcon a.s.

www:	www.obcanskyprukaz.cz

Guests

Ondřej Trojan

Festival Organizer, Film Director, Producer

Ľubica Orechovská

Distributor, PR & Marketing, Producer

Vladimír Barák

Film Editor, Film Editor