Martin Luhan

Capturing the dark humor of Czech author Michal Viewegh's chronicle of life after the Velvet Revolution, this black comedy chronicles three decades in the life of a small Czech family. While the original novel centered on the protagonist Kvido from his conception through his adulthood, first time director Petr Nikolaev and screenwriter Jan Novak changed the focus to his parents Milena, an extremely self-effacing lawyer who acts on stage in her spare time, and Ales, a rather aimless government worker who tends to drift wherever the wind takes him. The lives of Ales and Milena change dramatically following the Russian invasion of Prague in 1968.

When something flashes across the pond dam in the early evening, it could be the gamekeeper Čeřínek, or the poacher Kopýtko and the tailor Nitka, or... could it be Pepík and Franta? A water sprite, no, water sprites don't exist, only superstitious old women and the poor fish warden, who is a little scared of guarding the carp in the tower, believe in them. At least that's what Kopýtko and Nitka think as they plunder the pond so that their mischievous wives can show off. And what if they manage to catch a colossal fish, a carp bigger than anyone has ever seen before? Immediately, a plan emerges in their greedy minds to pass the carp off as a water sprite, display it in pubs, and make a fortune.

A tragicomedy full of slapstick and vignettes, and even an unexpected shootout. A family of villagers moves up in the world - to the county seat. Dad works as a butcher at a meatpacking plant, mom is a checker at a supermarket. The daughter is at odds with her homeroom teacher, while the son - a vegetarian, anarchist, and avid pothead - is apprenticing as a butcher to please his father. The kid's in hot water with both his forewoman and the police. But dad isn't much of an example, letting himself be tempted by the charms of a lovely young butcher. However much mom tries - visiting the beauty parlor, her psychologist, or even the confessional - her husband shows his interest by moving out. Mom plots revenge. And somehow an imp gets mixed up in it all

We are familiar with spoiled only children in everyday life. But even in fairy tales, we find princes who are showered with excessive care by their royal parents from morning till night. If he weren't a smart and likable boy at heart, he would probably remain a royal darling forever. Fortunately, he stood on his own two feet in time, and he did well.