In the film, the beautiful brewmaster’s wife causes quite a stir when her husband’s brother comes to town. She torments her straight-laced spouse, who is obsessed with work, with her mischievous antics. The film is based on the writing of Bohumil Hrabal and his childhood in Nymburk’s brewery in the 1920s. Enjoy the humorous tale and savor a nice Pilsner brew while watching the classic flick. (1980, 95 min., in Czech with English subtitles)

About the Director: Jiří Menzel (Feb. 23, 1938 - Sept. 5, 2020) was an award-winning director, screenwriter, actor, and theater director. He studied filmmaking at the famous Czech National Film Academy, FAMU, in Prague. Like Forman, he was one of the leaders of the Czech New Wave. Most notably, Menzel won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for his first feature-length film Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky, 1967).

With the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact forces in 1968, and the period of so-called ‘normalization’ that followed, he was one of the first directors to be barred from filmmaking. Menzel’s controversial film Larks on a String (Skřivánci na niti, 1969) was banned by the government, but released twenty years later, in 1990, after the collapse of the communist regime. The film won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival.

His film My Sweet Little Village (Vesničko má středisková, 1985) was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film (1987). Other renowned works include Capricious Summer (Rozmarné léto, 1968), Cutting It Short (Postřižiny, 1981) and I Serve the King of England (Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále, 2006).

Menzel was a member of the Czech Film and Television Academy, the European Film Academy and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has received many prestigious awards, among them the French order of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and the Akira Kurosawa Prize for a lifetime’s achievement at the San Francisco Film Festival.

Event Details:
 

Date/Time: September 9, 2021, at 7:45 pm

Venue: Embassy of the Czech Republic3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NWWashington, DC 20008

Attire: Dress for the weather as the screening will be outside.

RSVP required

Embassy Policy: By registering, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists by attending this event on the premises of the Embassy of the Czech Republic. You and any family members and guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Czech Republic or any of their diplomats, staff, contractors, affiliates, employees, agents, or volunteers liable for any illness, injury, or death.The Embassy of the Czech Republic disclaims and excludes any and all liability for any loss, injury, or damage, alleged to have been suffered by or as a result of or otherwise on its premises.To enter, you must wear a mask. At its discretion, the Embassy may take your temperature upon arrival. No large bags are allowed. Small purses may be checked as you pass through security for entrance. RSVP confirmation and photo ID required.

Parking: Non-metered parking is available on Spring of Freedom Street and Tilden Street.

Closest Metro: The Embassy is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Van Ness Metro Station.