3 Events at the Czech Center: Film Screenings & Radio Art

The Czech Center in Bucharest presents three events at the end of March: two film screenings and a radio art listening session.

Ms. President (Marek Šulík / SK, CZ / 2024 / 108′) – March 27, 7:00 PM

Step inside the presidential office of Zuzana Čaputová, Slovakia’s first female president. The documentary Ms. President, winner of the Grand Prize at the 2024 Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, is coming to Echoes of Ji.hlava in Bucharest.

Covering Čaputová’s five-year term, this documentary is not a celebratory portrait but a reflection on the role of the presidency and Slovak society. Čaputová took office one year after journalist Ján Kuciak’s assassination, during a time of mass protests, and completed her mandate in 2024, following an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico. Beyond her official role, she became a voice of hope in a crisis-stricken society, advocating for democratic values and protecting vulnerable groups.

However, Čaputová chose not to seek re-election, and director Marek Šulík explores her reasons. The film also reveals her personal side—as a woman, mother, and daughter—facing gender-based attacks, threats, and concerns for her family’s safety. Her portrait reflects a society where discrimination is increasingly visible, with the exclusion of the LGBTQ+ community from public life fueling tensions that culminated in the 2022 shooting at a queer club in Bratislava.

English subtitles
Online Q&A with director Marek Šulík after the screening
Free Czech beer (Budweiser Budvar)
Free entry – Doors open at 6:45 PM, seats are first come, first served, no reservations required.

SÂMBĂTA SONORĂ – March 28, 7:00 PM

SÂMBĂTA SONORĂ invites you to listen to two radio art pieces:

• An Emotional Encyclopedia of War

• Kyiv – Den Haag – Kyiv – Den Haag

These works explore the transformations brought by war, focusing on emotional urgency, the connection between sound and commemoration, and the auditory experience of conflict.

The Ukrainian artists Anna Kravets and Anna Khvyl have collaborated with SEMI SILENT since 2020.

Free entry
Organized by SEMI SILENT

Comrades (Joanna Janikowska / PL, IT / 2024 / 61′) – April 3, 7:00 PM

Echoes of Ji.hlava concludes with a Polish documentary, with director Joanna Janikowska attending the screening for a post-film discussion. This event is organized with the support of the Polish Institute.

Comrades follows Simone, Francesca, and Olivia, three young activists from Bologna who are members of the Party of Communist Refoundation. Full of energy, they participate in protests and party meetings, convinced they can change a world dominated by ruthless capitalism and performance pressure. However, as they struggle to shift the older generation’s mindset and gain new supporters, they face personal challenges that test their beliefs.

Shot in timelapse format, Comrades offers an empathetic portrait of young people growing disillusioned due to social pressures and internal struggles—and the difficulty of holding onto one’s ideals.

English subtitles
Discussion with director Joanna Janikowska
Free Czech beer (Budweiser Budvar)
Free entry – Doors open at 6:45 PM, seats are first come, first served, no reservations required.