Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me?

director: Petr Jančárek

original title: Tady Havel, slyšíte mě?

country: Czech Republic

year: 2023

running time: 85 min.

synopsis

This time-lapse documentary follows the last years of former President Václav Havel's life, creating a multi-layered portrait of a world-famous political icon and important playwright, but also an ordinary man plagued by health problems. Havel allows the filmmakers a glimpse behind the scenes of his life, revealing purely personal moments that present him in previously unrecognised contours. With a sense of humour, he reflects on his political legacy and universal human issues. The central motif is formed by the parallels between Havel's life and the successful play Leaving, which Havel always wanted to direct as a film adaptation.

“How is it that we are able to have hope even when nothing external, objective or visible actually entitles us to any hope?” — Václav Havel

biography

Petr Jančárek (1959) is a Czech director, screenwriter, cinematographer and producer specializing in documentary filmmaking. He has worked as an editor for Czech Television, participated in a number of humanitarian missions and received the Ferdinand Peroutka Award for his work. He teaches at the Silesian University in Opava.

more about film

director:	Petr Jančárek
producer:	Jiří Konečný
script:	Petr Jančárek
photography:	Petr Jančárek
editing:	Josef Krajbich
music:	Michal Rataj
sound design:	Robert Slezák
co-producer:	Petr Jančárek, Michal Kovář, Michael Kocáb

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