The Owners (2019)
Directed by Jiří Havelka
Insights into contemporary Czech society
Presentation by Leah Reilly

The Owners 2019
§> Directed by Jiří Havelka
§> Released 19 November 2019
§> Advertised as a comedy/drama
§> Depicts a meeting between owners of units within an apartment building
§> simple concept, bigger meaning
Owners (film) - Wikipedia

Wider Context out with Owners (2019)
§Czechoslovakia under Communist regime until November 1989
§Czech Republic and Slovakia from 1993
§Communism as a beneficial means of governance?

Reflection of Czech Society
§Metaphor based
§Democracy – each person/couple represents a factor within the Czech democracy today
§Legislative nonsense = failing to make important changes

Mr & Mrs. Zahrádková
> Chair of the committee
> Secretary
> Activists
> Bribery?

Society representations
§Ms. Horváthová = Idiocy
§Mr. Kubát  = Nostalgic communist
§Mrs. Procházková = selfishness
§Mr. Nitranský and New tenants = Xenophobia
§Mr. Svec = Pensioners
§Mr. Sokol = Intellectuals
§

> Sons of deceased tenant
> Opportunists
> Focuses on legislative issues and following the rules
> Debilitates real change?
A couple of men sitting at a table with microphones and papers Description automatically generated
with medium confidence A person sitting in a chair Description automatically generated with medium
confidence

Conclusions - Failings of a modern day democracy?
Owners (Vlastníci) – Jiří Havelka (2019) – Czech Film Review


References -
§Jiří Havelka, Vlastníci (Owners), (2019).
§
§Czech Film Review, Owners (Vlastníci) – Jiří Havelka (2019).
§Avaliable at - https://czechfilmreview.com/2020/07/24/owners-vlastnici-jiri-havelka-2019/
§
§Dominika Švecová and Jan Čulík, (2019). Owners: Horror about what the Czech Republic is like
today.
§
§Jan Čulík, Current Czech Opinion of the pre-1989 and post 1989 Regimes: Disillusionment with
Politics, Regardless of Party Political Allegiances.
§
§Former Czech PM Petr Pithart: 1968 was the only time when I believed that the world might be
better.
§Avaliable at - https://youtu.be/eP7b0Jhzlnk
§
§
§
§