directed by Julius Ševèík, biopic, 114 min, eng subtitles, 16+
written by Petr Koleèko, Alex Koenigsmark & Julius Ševèík
with Karel Roden, Oldøich Kaiser, Arly Jover, Hanns Zischler, Eva Herzigová, Emília Vášáryová
Winter 1939. Flamboyant Czech diplomat Jan Masaryk, the son of the first president of Czechoslovakia T. G. Masaryk, has fled to America to escape his recent past. Germany has invaded Czechoslovakia and Masaryk is now a man without a nation. In America, he tries to forget the personal and political betrayals he and his country have suffered – but these events shadow his every step. Serving as the Czechoslovak ambassador in London, Masaryk failed to win the support of the British and could not avert the ruination of his country. With the help of Dr. Stein, a German immigrant and psychiatrist, and the beautiful writer Marcia Davenport, Masaryk tries to overcome his demons and relives the dramatic events leading up to the outbreak of the Second World War.
A very intimate look into the soul of an important politician, providing an interesting insight into the diplomatic actions taken by the powers to prevent the outbreak of WWII. A film that swept the board at the latest Czech national film awards in an unprecedented manner, winning 14 Czech Lions.
Awards:
Czech Lion Awards 2017 (14 awards, including Best Film, Best Director & Best Actor)
Berlin IFF 2017 (Berlinale special)
With the support of the Czech Embassy in Luxembourg