Film Archive

Flower Buds

East of the West - Competition 2012 / Poupata / Czech Republic 2011

"Is that our dream? There’s no way around it!” cleaning lady Kamila says to her husband, who works as a railway dispatcher. Of course, people like them have a hard time fulfilling their dreams – first they have to take care of the necessities of daily life. This sensitive social drama took the Czech Lion for Best Film.

Synopsis

Jarda works for the railway, passing the time constructing models out of matches and glue. When he’s not at work he’s with his wife Kamila or at the pub where the owner serves him a fine repast at the slot machines. Their daughter longs to see the world, while their son pins his hopes on unbounded love. Will they ever fulfill their dreams when everyday life throws them so many curveballs? Set during the Christmas season, the film doesn’t spare its protagonists, and despite portraying the adult characters as reconciled to their fate, it willingly demonstrates that things can get worse. This sensitive social drama is backed up with strong acting performances and a crisply evoked environment where, lacking options, the characters take shelter in their own worlds and dreams because the world outside bodes nothing good. Although there is nothing wrong with getting drunk while dressed up as St. Nicholas (since there’s no better prospect after you wake up than heading for the pub), it’s about time to start worrying about the future.

About the film

93 min / Color, 35 mm
International premiere
Director Zdeněk Jiráský / Screenplay Zdeněk Jiráský / Dir. of Photography Vladimír Smutný / Music Martin Přikryl, Archive / Editor Petr Turyna / Producer Viktor Schwarcz / Production Cineart TV Prague s.r.o. / Cast Vladimír Javorský, Małgorzata Pikus, Marika Šoposká, Josef Láska, Nguyen Thi Minh, Nguyen Kim Son, Kateřina Jandáčková, Jiří Maryško, Aneta Krejčíková / Contact Cineart TV Prague s.r.o., Czech Television - Telexport
www: www.poupatafilm.cz

About the director

Zdeněk Jiráský (b. 1969, Jičín, Czechoslovakia) graduated in screenwriting and script editing from Prague’s Film Academy (FAMU) in 2004, then started making documentaries. His films for Czech Television include Vanishing Prague (Mizející Praha, 2008) on the transformation of the Czech metropolis, Asák (2010) about photographer Petr Helbich, and Goulash for 750 Million (Guláš za 750 milionů) about election campaigns. He created a number of travel documentaries for Febio productions, and as a screenwriter he worked on the television series "Airport” ("Letiště”). After receiving a preproduction screenplay award for Flower Buds, this year Jiráský became only the third newcomer to win Czech Lions for Best Film and Best Director. In addition, he was nominated by Czech film critics for direction, screenplay, and discovery of the year.