See You in Denver
See You in Denver details the fate of two generations of the Hvanhara family through 1920 - 1970, itself an apt reflection of the fate of Czechoslovakia in the 20th century.
Frantisek Hvanhara was born in the Zizkov neighborhood in Prague. His father was the founder of a film distribution company/cinema network. As a result, American cinema, particularly slapsticks and Westerns, formed Frantisek's youth and ultimately influenced his whole life. The film's title, "See you in Denver," recalls a movie quote uttered by Frantisek and friends in mimic and honor of a favorite big-screen hero.
When Frantisek's father lost his business after WWII, the movies disappeared. The loss drove Fratisek and friends to shoot their own films, complete with Westerns featuring the battle between good and evil. The Westerns' Manichean dichotomy paralleled Franticek's own life and his desire to stand on the side of the just.
Frantisek's life credo and optimism were resilient despite obstacles: he was banned from study because of his bourgeois family background and he was groundlessly sent to prison. However, the regime's lack of freedom and intolerance took its toll, culminating in Frantisek's decision in 1968 to leave Czechoslovakia, crossing the Atlantic to see the places from the big-screen of his youth, and to make his childhood dreams come true.
Script, Direction: Jan Šikl
Editor: Jan Daňhel
Sound engineer: Daniel Němec
Script editor: Jan Gogola ml.
Duration: 52 min
