Film Archive

Long Live the Family!

Czech Films 2011–2012 2012 / Rodina je základ státu / Czech Republic 2011

The police are knocking on Libor’s door and are interested to know where he got the money for his luxury villa. Libor is simply interested in his family’s welfare, and so he does a bunk with them. This critical comic drama set in contemporary times won Czech Film Critics awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Film.

Synopsis

Libor may have studied history, but why slouch over a teacher’s desk when you can proudly strut around a modern office? Especially when you need to provide for your wife and children for whom it’s sometimes worth turning a blind eye when signing dodgy contracts. Except that the justice system catches up with even bigger whiz kids than Libor. While the police only have a few questions for him for the time being, his partners are in custody. Even so, Libor decides it’s high time to do a bunk with his family and get a few things straightened out. "When you watch a Czech film, you don’t see any indication of what we’re like, but what we’d like to be,” says the director. He instals his characters in an authentic environment and leaves them to sort out problems all too familiar to a contemporary audience. Although he doesn’t try to cover his back with the tag "freely inspired by real events,” he is clearly referring to specific social phenomena. And this he does without a hint of diffidence, maintaining a sense of humour throughout.

About the film

106 min / Color, DCP

Director Robert Sedláček / Screenplay Robert Sedláček / Dir. of Photography Petr Koblovský / Music Michal Rataj, Beata Hlavenková, Lenka Dusilová / Editor Matouš Outrata / Producer Radim Procházka / Production Produkce Radim Procházka / Cast Igor Chmela, Eva Vrbková, Jiří Vyorálek, Simona Babčáková, Martin Finger, Monika A. Fingerová / Contact Produkce Radim Procházka, Bontonfilm, a.s., FE Agency / Distributor Bontonfilm, a.s.
www: www.rodinejezakladstatu.cz

About the director

Robert Sedláček (b. 1973, Zlín, Czechoslovakia) is one of the Czech Republic’s most distinctive filmmakers and one of the few who focus on the current social situation and its origins. After studying at FAMU he worked for Czech Television and Febio; his interest in topical themes was evident from his documentary work, which he frequently devotes to intriguing and complex characters in Czech public life. His feature debut, Rules of Lies (Pravidla lži, 2006), competed in the East of the West section, while Men in Rut (Muži v říji, 2009) was selected by Variety critics for screening at Karlovy Vary. A satirical dimension is also typical of the comedy The Greatest Czechs (Největší z Čechů, 2010) and the bleak TV film Assholes (Sráči, 2011). He is currently directing the major series "Czech Century” ("České století”) for Czech Television.