Aleš Březina

An opera troupe in a small town decides to perform Mozart's Don Giovanni. The view behind the scenes uncovers the world of opera without the glitter. A tale of love and disappointment, about music and passionate love-making and about people that live their lives in spite of the opera.

Prague, Czechoslovakia, during the inter-war period. Jan Dítě, a young and clever waiter who wants to become a millionaire, comes to the conclusion that to achieve his ambitious goal he must be diligent, listen and observe as much as he can, be always discreet and use what he learns to his own advantage; but the turbulent tides of history will continually stand in his way.

Pre-WWII Czech democratic politician Milada Horáková was one of the first victims of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Opposing the 1948 coup but not leaving the country, she was arrested and tried for treason on fabricated charges in a show trial broadcast on the radio.

In 1943, a childless couple, the Čížeks, decide to hide a Jewish refugee, David Wiener, the son of Čížek's former employer, in the secret pantry of their apartment. Čížek is aware of the danger into which he has brought his household and his neighbours, but he takes helping his fellow man in need for granted. But at the same time, as a largely unheroic hero, he is dying of fear. His personal situation is greatly complicated by the approaching end of the war, when he faces danger from both the Germans and his "honest" fellow Czechs...

Matúš is a talented musician, who left his successfully developing career, when his adoptive mother fell ill. After her death, he’s living with his stepbrother Dávid and together they go through life, each in their own way. While Dávid takes what life gives him, Matúš feels frustrated by his failed ambitions. On his way to their fulfillment, he meets his old schoolmate Albert, who opens doors to the „better“ world for him.

Milan and Goran are two criminals who smuggle illegal immigrants. One night after they complete a smuggle, they discover that one of the immigrants has left a baby behind. Milan and Goran decide to sell the baby to Lubos and Eman, who are responsible for running an illegal baby adoption center. Lubos and Eman make attempts to sell the baby to Miluska and Frantisek, a barren couple.

It is a film consisting of six short stories, which mostly tell in a black humorous, ironic, often bitterly bitter form about an ancient curse, human infidelity, strange deviations, an unexpected miracle and hypocritical forgiveness. They have their own pointed structure, specific atmosphere and way of processing, and yet they pass on motives to each other that communicate with each other and observe the same things from different angles.

Vera Cáslavská, the most successful Czechoslovak sportswoman and the fourth most successful Olympic sportswoman globally, won seven gold and four silver medals. After her 1968 Mexico City Olympics victory, she became the second most popular woman after Jacqueline Kennedy. In 1968, she signed the 2000 Words Manifesto, which she never retracted. Despite her fame, she faced a troubled life due to political issues, marriage, and family tragedy. Her story reflects Czech society during both communist and democratic regimes, where she was active in the civil sphere. She views her sports career as fleeting fame compared to her challenging life. Now 68, 42 years after her sports career, she remains admired in the Czech Republic and Japan. Her life is a unique chapter in Czech history.

Marcela can't bear Jarda any longer, so she threatens divorce and takes the kids to her mom's, whose husband is a creep. While Marcela is there, Jarda is jailed, because he is part of a gang steeling cars and they get caught in the act. Benes, the urbane man whose car got stolen by Jarda and his gang, befriends Marcela. Soon she feels drawn to Benes and all of a sudden she must make up her mind: Jarda is still sexually attractive to her, but Benes offers security, and her own body and mind may not pull at the same strand.

A wedding is supposed to be a joyous occasion, but things can go awry. When an uninvited guest turns up at the church and later at the reception as well, the newly-weds’ day turns sour. Shadows of the past can blight the most sumptuous of banquets and rend the most affectionate of embraces.

Loyalty, history and regret take center stage for university professor Pavel Josek, lauded for standing up to the communist regime when it counted most. But as a TV documentary starts to focus in on the facts of his past, new truths are uncovered which may threaten his reputation.

As punishment, the devil Matěj must grant the wishes of a poor young man named Ondra until he says he is completely happy. But can such happiness even be achieved? Hell has its doubts about this, and it seems that they are justified, as the other devils are well entertained by Matěj's helplessness. After fulfilling ordinary wishes, when Ondra finally warms up, eats well, and gets dressed, more serious complications arise. Ondra falls in love with Rézinka, a countess from the castle, and to make matters worse, the devil Matěj takes a liking to the cook Marjánka.

Life of Czech composer Smetana, his search for love and artistic inspiration despite hearing loss, and quest for his muse Eliska. Navigating personal and professional challenges and the founding of the National Theatre in Prague.

The star Svituška, paired with the admired Sirius, is one day cast down to earth by the jealous star Proxima. Svituška falls into a village where she is found and cared for by a teacher named Václav. Svituška has only a few days to return to the sky or she will perish. She relies on Sirius to rescue her, but intrigues by Proxima keep him away. Each evening, Václav watches the princess skating on the frozen lake and harbors a secret love for her. One night, Svituška accompanies him and, upon seeing the princess, rekindles her own light, fueled by the power of Václav’s pure love for the princess. With Václav’s help, Svituška will survive until she can return to the heavens.

'The Magic Voice of a Rebel' portrays the story of the Czech singer Marta Kubisová, who without never intending it, became a symbol of freedom for all generations in the newly free Czhecoslovakia in 1989. It is Marta herself who tells us her life story and how the Soviet invasion in Czechoslvakia in 1968 changed her life. Because of her deep involvement in the Prague Spring movement, she went from being the most popular singer in the country to being banned and suffering a sudden removal from the public scene by the new authorities imposed from Moscow. She refused to escape to exile and together with other banned intelectuals and artists became a disident instead. Blacklisted and persecuted by the secret police, she also suffered the betrayal of beloved people who were collaborating with the regime.

A 12 year old swimming star becomes the emotional casualty of her parents acrimonious separation, in this powerful coming of age story about youth rebelliously standing up to the cruelties and immaturities of adulthood.

A humorously infused fairy tale about what happens when a dragon is not defeated by a brave prince but by an ordinary Janko. The joy of saving the princess does not last long, as the groom is to be a local village boy who, besides having patched clothes, also lacks good manners. The princess runs away to the real prince Egon, but finds out that it is not the royal title, but a good heart, that matters.

The film portrays the final days of the most famous Czech authoress, Božena Němcová, who in the mid-19th century dared to live a life free of social constraints.