We will screen 2 Czech documentary films – After the Silence Was Broken and Pongo Calling. The film After the Silence Was Broken will be followed by an on-line discussion with the director.

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Program:

17.00 - 17.10: Opening

17.10 – 18.00: After the silence was broken

18.00 – 18.30: on-line discussion with the director

Break

19.00 - 20.30: Pongo Calling

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If you are interested, REGISTER here, entry is for free. Both films are in the Czech version with English subtitles. We are looking forward to seeing you all!

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ANOTATIONS

After the Silence Was Broken (50 min., režie: Mikoláš Arsenjev)

The film is an intimate portrait of Marie-Luisa Purkrábková, co-founder of You Don’t! Have to Endure It, which draws attention to sexual harassment and abuse of power in Czech art schools.

For years, the rampant sexism and bullying that exist behind the walls of many Czech universities have escaped media attention. In 2021, Marie-Luisa Purkrábková decided to speak out about toxic university relationships. She invited her DAMU (Faculty of Performing Arts) classmates to do the same. As the co-founder of the feminist initiative You Don't! Have to Endure It, she has become the voice of a humiliated student body for many. In this documentary, she shares the joy of her small successes as well as her doubts regarding how long she can face the pressure of such a responsible role. Scenes from her private life and public appearances create a portrait of a woman who clearly understands that even when pushing for far-reaching changes, one cannot afford to ignore one’s own health.

Trailer

Pongo Calling (78 min., dir.: Tomáš Kratochvíl)

“Humiliation is part of the life of most Romani,” says Štefan Pongo, explaining why he and his family moved to the United Kingdom 15 years ago. He now leads a happy life with his wife and children, working as a truck driver. However, he cannot remain indifferent to continued discrimination against Romani.

Pongo started his activism in 2018, when he called on Romani to post photos of themselves at work on social media. He was reacting to racist statements by President Miloš Zeman, according to whom the vast majority of Romani people do not work. Thousands of people responded to his call. Since then, he has organized a demonstration in Brussels, delivered humanitarian aid to settlements in eastern Slovakia, and filmed vlogs in which he deftly addressed topics related to Romani people. This documentary captures Pongo’s enthusiasm and his clashes with his hot-blooded wife, who has her own ideas about the compatibility of her husband’s activities with family life.

Trailer