- Description
The highly successful occupation comedy is another joint work of the screenwriter Petr Jarchovský and director Jan Hřebejk. The filmmakers look at a tragic period of Czech history with distance, comedic exaggeration and an understanding of human weakness. The sometimes surprisingly suspenseful story is based on real episodes that took place during the Protectorate.
The sad hero of the narrative is Josef Čížek, a small-town retired clerk who, under the pressure of circumstances, hides a young Jewish refugee in his apartment. His situation is greatly complicated by the Czech-German collaborator Prohaska, who harasses his charming wife Maria. The film has sparked controversy with its certain conciliatory attitude towards the different types of attitudes of the Czech people towards the occupiers, which is already suggested by the title. However, this was completely overshadowed by the huge audience response and a number of awards from domestic and foreign film events. The film won five Czech Lions and the Czech Film Critics' Prize, among others, and was nominated for an Oscar in the foreign language film category...
