Our lives can be unique, if lived in a unique way. Private films testify to the unique intensity of our lives. They capture private stories of our shared history. The Private Century series shows the history as a set of intimate human stories. It brings a testimony of spontaneous private life in the 20th century. The Private Century series consists of 8 films. The fate of two generations of Čvančara family depicted on family films through 1920–1970 is an apt reflection of the fate of Czechoslovakia of 20th century. František’s father was the founder of a film distribution company. American slapsticks and mainly Westerns influenced František for his whole life. “See you in Denver” – that was a quotation of their favorite heroes, which they used to say good-bye as boys. When the Westerns disappeared from the screens after the WW2, František and his friends started to shoot films themselves. The Westerns always featured the duel of the good and evil. As František used to say, he always tried to stand on the right side. His life credo and optimism were destroyed neither by the ban on his studying nor his groundless imprisonment. However, the lack of freedom and intolerance of the regime placed František in opposition. And when 1968 came, he decided to emigrate across the ocean to visit all the places he had heard so much about as a child, to make his childhood dream come true.

Writer / Jan Šikl    Editor / Jan Daňhel    Sound / Daniel Němec

Photogallery