CZECH REPUBLIC: The HBO Europe drama 'Burning Bush', the story of the Czech student Jan Palach who burned himself as a protest against the Soviet occupation of 1968, premieres in Prague

Record ID: 220986

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: The HBO Europe drama 'Burning Bush', the story of the Czech student Jan Palach who burned himself as a protest against the Soviet occupation of 1968, premieres in Prague
  • Date: 24th January 2013
  • Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (JANUARY 23, 2013) (REUTERS) LIMOUSINE ARRIVING TO "SLOVANSKY DUM" CINEMA IN PRAGUE ACTOR PETR TROJAN WITH WIFE ARRIVING ACTOR MARTIN HUBA ARRIVING CAMERAMAN ACTRESS TANIA PAUHOFOVA ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HBO EUROPE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ANTONY ROOT SAYING: "It has universal story values, it's about good and bad, good and evil, it's about the r
  • Embargoed: 8th February 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Czech Republic
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Reuters ID: LVAAU493XL21XQEWO3NUJOWX3KZ1
  • Story Text: The three-part drama 'Burning Bush', directed for HBO Europe by Polish director Agnieszka Holland, premiered in Prague on Wednesday (January 23) evening. The film describes the story of Czech student Jan Palach who burned himself as a protest against the Soviet occupation of 1968.
    But as HBO Europe executive producer Antony Root told Reuters, it is so much more than a drama about a young man killing himself. "It has universal story values, it's about good and bad, good and evil, it's about the right and wrong choices people make in the lives - should the do the right things or should they not."
    But he said that at the same time of course it is very local story. "It is a huge subject for the Czech national audience and we made it in the Czech language, in Prague, for the Czech audience."
    Burning Bush is not a docu-drama focusing on Palach's suicide but the movie follows the transformation of society from mass resistance against the communist regime to growing resignation and normalization.
    And the issue is today as important as it was 45 years ago.

    "Even when I was a teenager I fully understood what he (Jan Palach) did for us," said Czech actor Petr Trojan. "He sacrificed himself for us wanting to wake us up from our lethargy. He did help me very much in formulating my own opinion of the world, that I don't like communists and that it is very important for men to stand up against the totalitarian system."
    And actor Martin Huba added: "It is very important to remind people of stories like this, remind them that there are people among us who are able of such a heroic tragic sacrifice. This may help all of us starting to communicate on a higher level because I think that there is a noble part inside all of us and it is necessary to wake it up every now and then."
    Referring to her own time in Czechoslovakia, Agnieszka Holland said that her film about the events following Palach's death make her aware of her lingering illusions about communism.
    Holland's previous film, 'In Darkness', won an Oscar nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category last year.
    Her new film 'Burning Bush' will be shown at the International Film Festival in Rotterdam, followed by television screenings in many countries, including Poland next month.
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