Distant Journey

A film of the Czech multimedia theatre production, Magician's Lantern. Eight Czechoslovak directors filmed a choreographic performance conceived and directed by director Alfred Radok and artist Josef Svoboda. This performance consists of twelve scenes: "Introduction", "Airport", "Rhythms", "Cymbal Concert", "Inspiration", "Hoop Dancer", "Spartakiade", "Dvořák's Slavonic Dance", "Prague Spring", "Love is a Fatal Game", "SL'UK", and "Finale".

Two poor students, Strnad and Křepelka, console themselves with the fact that Křepelka is to inherit, but it later turns out that the inheritance is only an old hat. The young man seeks help from his relative, the merchant Koliáš, who is the guardian of the beautiful Bětuška. Křepelka immediately falls in love with the girl, but the old miser does not want to hear about his poor nephew. Strnad finally comes up with an idea to use the hat to trick the greedy merchant...

The history of motoring in Bohemia begins when Laurin and Klement founded a factory for the production of motorcycles. In 1904, the first motorcycle races were held in Dourdan, France, in which Czechs also participated. Czech mechanic František and Nanette, daughter of French mechanic Frontenac, met and fell in love there. Czech racer Vondřich finished second due to a breakdown. In 1905, the race was held again, Vondřich insured himself with a suitcase of spare parts and won. Nanette and František, who had been writing to each other all year, met again. After motorcycles, cars began to be produced everywhere, and in 1909 their first race was organized in Gaillon, France. The Czech racer Count Kolovrat won. His mechanic František married his beloved Nanette in the local church.

A live, semi-documentary TV broadcast investigates why former prisoner Dr. Benet collapsed after defeating world chess champion Mirko Čentovič aboard the ship Victoria. The crew stages a detailed reconstruction of the fateful game on deck, interviews witnesses to piece together events, and deliberately blurs fact and fiction to draw viewers into Benet’s psychological unraveling and the deeper mysteries behind his victory.