‘Shadow Country - Bohdan Sláma’

Shadow Country is the chronicle of one small town in the Czech-Austrian borderland, burdened by history. Life has always been about community here; what is important is to plant, harvest, survive winter and raise children. Then suddenly there is a choice to be made: are you Austrian or Czech? Which of your life-long neighbours is your ally and who becomes an enemy? Nazi and communist ideologies seep into every-day life, afflicted by injustice, human weakness and violence. At that moment, your neighbours may become murderers.

​​​​​​​Internationally acclaimed Czech director Bohdan Sláma (Ice Mother, The Country Teacher) captures the toil of war through Divis Marek’s glorious cinematography with immersive, complex long shots. Sláma graduated from the directing programme at FAMU in Prague. He lives in the small town of Bořice in Southern Bohemia where he shot Shadow Country, his first historical film. 

The screening is a part of a focus on contemporary Czech film during the Czech Presidency of the EU.