These two films by Vojtěch Jasný, one of Czechoslovak cinema's most renowned and influential film artists, tell deceptively simple tales of rural life.
Desire (Touha), a lyrical film poem beautifully shot across four seasons, represents the eternal cycle of human life from birth to death.
All My Good Countrymen (Všichni dobří rodáci) made a decade later, weaves together the stories of a group of friends whose lives reflect the seismic political changes in post-war Czechoslovakia. One of the wonders of the Czech New Wave, this autobiographical masterpiece, made with deep affection for corruptible, flawed humanity, is a potent reminder of the lives, friendships and idealism lost under totalitarian rule.
All My Good Countrymen is presented from a new 4K restoration, Desire is presented from a new HD transfer - both films make their world premieres on Blu-ray. Our edition also features archival interviews with director Vojtěch Jasný and actor Drahomíra Hofmanová, additional films by Jasný: It’s Not Always Cloudy (1949) and the acclaimed short Bohemian Rhapsody (1969), a booklet with a new essay by Peter Hames... and more!
