Citizen Havel

CZ + ENG subtitles

Kasárna Karlín joins the celebrations of Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day. On this public holiday, when the Czech Republic marks 37 years since the Velvet Revolution, we are showing two films back to back: Citizen Havel (2007) and I'm Not Everything I Want to Be (2024).

Citizen Havel, subtitled Scenes from the Presidential Kitchen, takes a look behind the scenes of the political and private dramas of Václav Havel's presidency.

The film captures him in a wide range of situations, from political negotiations to moments the media don't usually show, such as when he gets worked up and curses at badly sewn shirts. As in his life, both of his wives, Olga and Dagmar, play an important role in the film. His friends and collaborators, international and Czech politicians, and even members of the Rolling Stones appear as well. Director Pavel Koutecký followed the first Czech president for more than thirteen years. Unfortunately, Koutecký did not live to see the premiere of his most interesting and biggest film project. After his tragic death in spring 2006, director Miroslav Janek took on the completion of the film.