The Velvet Revolution
Sometimes political change requires bloodshed, and sometimes it doesn't. On the anniversary of Czechoslovakia's distinctive Velvet Revolution -- or Gentle Revolution -- that led to the collapse of one-party Communist government, we explore the Czech Republic's rich film history.
Czech Dream
(Český sen)
How far can one hoax go?
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czech Republic • 2004
- Director Vít Klusák
- Cast Varhan Orchestrovič Bauer, Jaromír Kalina , Vít Klusák, Martin Přikryl, Filip Remunda, Eva Williams
- Genre Crime, Documentary
- Available on DocAlliance Films, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Autumn Spring
(Babí Léto)
Fanda is an old man who refuses to grow up.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czech Republic • 2001
- Director Vladimír Michálek
- Cast Vlastimil Brodský, Stella Zázvorková, Stanislav Zindulka, Ondřej Vetchý, Jiří Lábus, Petra Špalková
- Genre Family, Comedy, Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Divided We Fall
(Musíme si pomáhat)
A childless couple takes in an escapee from a concentration camp at great personal risk of discovery and execution.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czech Republic • 2000
- Director Jan Hřebejk
- Cast Bolek Polívka, Anna Šišková, Csongor Kassai, Jaroslav Dušek, Martin Huba, Jiří Pecha
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Amazon Video
Kolya
(Kolja)
A poor cellist is forced to care for a small child after his scam backfires.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czech Republic, United Kingdom, France • 1996
- Director Jan Svěrák
- Cast Andrei Chalimon, Zdeněk Svěrák, Libuše Šafránková, Stella Zázvorková, Ondřej Vetchý, Nela Boudová
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Music
- Available on Apple TV, Amazon Video
The Elementary School
(Obecná škola)
A group of undisciplined elementary schoolers living near Prague in the post-war period get a strict new teacher.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1991
- Director Jan Svěrák
- Cast Václav Jakoubek, Radoslav Budáč, Jan Tříska, Zdeněk Svěrák, Libuše Šafránková, Daniela Kolářová
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV
My Sweet Little Village
(Vesničko má středisková)
When a corrupt politician attempts to take advantage of mentally disabled Otik, his entire village rallies together to stop him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1985
- Director Jiří Menzel
- Cast János Bán, Marián Labuda, Rudolf Hrušínský, Petr Čepek, Libuše Šafránková, Jan Hartl
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Amazon Video
Fantastic Planet
(La Planète sauvage)
A history of dominance on planet Ygam is challenged by an educated underdog.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Czechoslovakia • 1973
- Director René Laloux
- Cast Jennifer Drake, Sylvie Lenoir, Jean Topart, Jean Valmont, Max Amyl, Yves Barsacq
- Genre Animation, Science Fiction
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Plex, Plex Channel
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders
(Valerie a týden divů)
A pair of earrings forces a young girl into womanhood.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1970
- Director Jaromil Jireš
- Cast Jaroslava Schallerová, Helena Anýzová, Petr Kopriva, Jirí Prýmek, Jan Klusák, Libuše Komancová
- Genre Fantasy, Adventure, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Cultpix, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV
All My Good Countrymen
(Všichni dobří rodáci)
A Czech village finally begins to breathe after years of Nazi occupation — but soon face a second invasion.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1969
- Director Vojtěch Jasný
- Cast Vlastimil Brodský, Radoslav Brzobohatý, Vladimír Menšík, Waldemar Matuška, Drahomíra Hofmanová, Pavel Pavlovský
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel
Marketa Lazarová
A compelling, stripped-down, and surreal account of the shift from Paganism to Christianity.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1967
- Director František Vláčil
- Cast Josef Kemr, Magda Vášáryová , Naďa Hejná, František Velecký, Karel Vašíček
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Closely Watched Trains
(Ostře sledované vlaky)
All it takes to make a man of a boy is a woman.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1966
- Director Jiří Menzel
- Cast Václav Neckář, Josef Somr, Vlastimil Brodský, Vladimír Valenta, Alois Vachek, Ferdinand Krůta
- Genre Comedy, Drama, War
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV
The Shop on Main Street
(Obchod na korze)
An unlikely friendship develops between a pair on different sides of World War II.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Czechoslovakia • 1965
- Director Ján Kadár
- Cast Ida Kaminska, Jozef Kroner, Hana Slivková, Martin Hollý, Adam Matejka, Elena Zvaríková-Pappová
- Genre Drama, War
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel