The Oscar-winning Czech director Jan Sverák (Kolya) once again collaborates with his scriptwriter/actor father Zdenek for a tale of historic events seen through the eyes of a child. Based on his father’s memoir Barefoot in a Stubble, a coming-of-age story set during the waning years of WWII, it follows eight-year old Eda who relocates with his family from Prague to the small village of Slavonice. There he meets a host of idiosyncratic paternal relatives, including his father’s estranged elder brother, as well as a gang of rowdy local kids who allow him to join their club.
Despite US bombers flying overhead and German soldiers marching through the village, Eda’s view of the conflict is colored by a childish innocence, and the war doesn’t prevent him and the other boys from having Mark Twain-like adventures. Superb acting, evocative cinematography and fine music choices make this Sverák’s best film since Kolya.
Director Biography
Czech-director Jan Sverák’s films have earned him a variety of honors throughout his career, including Academy Award nominations and a Crystal Globe Award win (for his 1994 film The Ride). He is alumnus of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.
Press
"[A] beautiful piece of nostalgia shot entirely from a little boy’s perspective, one that never makes a misstep." - Hollywood Reporter
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