🇨🇿 Czech Film in Focus
Love, alcoholism and the chaos of young adulthood collide in Lover, Not a Fighter (Milovník, nie bojovník), a new Slovak-Czech romantic tragicomedy from debut director Martina Buchelová. Adam Kubala stars as Andrej, a troubled young man determined to stop drinking, stay out of trouble and spend a quiet summer with his grandmother. His plans unravel when he reconnects with a young woman he’s long admired, setting off an unpredictable romance in a Bratislava housing estate.
Why watch now: Lover, Not a Fighter won the Grand Prize in the Proxima competition at this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The film is now playing in Prague, with English-subtitled screenings at Kino Světozor during Oct. 19–25.
🎞️ The Throwback
František Vláčil’s The Valley of the Bees (Údolí včel) follows a young Bohemian nobleman, Ondřej, who is sent to a fanatical order of Teutonic Knights during the Middle Ages. When he abandons the order and attempts to return to ordinary life, his former companion Armin pursues him, setting up a confrontation between religious devotion and personal freedom.
Why watch now: Released the same year as Vláčil’s Marketa Lazarová, The Valley of the Bees was produced using costumes and props from the earlier epic. Though initially overshadowed by its predecessor, it has since gained recognition as a Czech classic in its own right. The film screens with English subtitles at Kino Ponrepo on Oct. 21.
🇬🇧 This Week’s English-Friendly Screenings
🍿 New wide releases
📺 The Streaming Watchlist