Original subtitles

For Jan Tesař

Munich, 1938. A stirring drama of betrayal.

The event that led directly to the unleashing of WWII.

Ten days that decided the fate of the Czechoslovak nation

for long years to come.

Day one - September 20th.

British and French envoys present Czechoslovak President Beneš

with Hitler's demand that the Sudetenland be surrendered to Germany.

The government accepts the demand the next morning.

The decision is met with tremendous opposition from the public.

A general strike is declared, resulting in the fall of the government.

The people demand that Parliament be convened

and a new government formed to defend the republic.

On September 22, a new government is named and full mobilisation is declared.

Around one million men are called to arms.

President Beneš still believes that France

will respect its alliance with Czechoslovakia

and stand by our side in the event of armed conflict.

The ultimate fate of Czechoslovakia is to be decided

by a conference in Munich on Sept. 29.

Germany is represented by Adolf Hitler, Italy by Benito Mussolini,

Great Britain by Neville Chamberlain and France by Edouard Daladier.

Despite the treaty with Czechoslovakia,

Daladier adds his signature to the agreement with Hitler.

The act of betrayal is complete.

President Beneš is forced to accept the agreement.

The high command of the army orders a withdrawal.

The border defences are surrendered to the enemy without a fight.

While Daladier and Chamberlain are feted as heroes upon their return,

the Czech frontier is occupied by German forces.

For the Czech nation, it is the hardest moment in their history.

PRESENTS

A FILM BY PETR ZELENKA & FRIENDS

LOST IN MUNICH

"PRESIDENT MAMA'S BOY SCARED THE EU WILL TAKE THE SUDET!

They're suing over the wording of the headline. I'm not responsible for that.

The headline is a quote from your text.

Which you censured and rewrote beforehand!

Fine. Then write your stories in a way that we don't have to get involved.

- I am an investigative journalist. - No, no no...

- You're just no good at dealing with people, Pavel. -Oh, of course!

I'm your boss, and you can't even deal with me. Do you want to work here or not?

Excellent. Then that means you'll have to apologise to the president's office.

I hope at least you'll manage that French press conference without problems.

Where are you going? No entry.

- I'm a journalist. -I don't care. Everybody's a journalist today.

Dear ladies, dear gentlemen, tomorrow marks 70 years

since the day the so-called Munich Agreement was signed.

On the French side, the person associated with this tragic event

is former Prime Minister Edouard Daladier.

However we have witness testimony that Daladier in fact

maintained warm feelings to Czechoslovakia and its people.

He regretted the fateful conference for the rest of his life.

Today we have the opportunity to meet someone who for more than 25 years

was close to Mr Daladier almost daily.

Someone who, let's say, went through it all with him,

sharing more than a bed, but his privacy - the intimacy of his study.

I introduce to you, "Sir P".

We thank the company "Historical Animals" which has lent the parrot.

Věra Pálková, Právo.

I'd like to ask if we can put questions to the parrot directly?

Could you give me Mr Vraný? No, he's not answering his mobile.

Because he sent me to a press conference with a parrot! Is that normal?

Well of course he knew!

Quiet, please.

A normal bird on a perch.

Exactly. So tell him that when he stops pretending not to be there. Okay?

Hi.

Hey.

You can't go in now!

Here you go! You sent me to a press conference with this bird.

So I'll just press the button,

record your interview, and you can print it without having to make changes!

- You're insane. - I'll just hand in my notice and fuck off!

- You already got it! - When?

Five minutes ago. It's in your email.

Cretin.

TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

Of course...

THIS COULD INTEREST YOU

Who's she?

That's my wife.

EVEN LIVING CAN BE AN ACT OF BRAVERY.

- Hello. - Hey Jakub, can I come in? -Yeah.

- I need to sleep at your place tonight. - What's up? Something with Dana?

- I left home. - Oh! Come in.

Lenka and little Gabina are in Greece, so you can sleep in her bed.

- Your stuff's in the car? - I've just got this parrot.

- You have a parrot? -It's not mine. I took it today...

I'll return it tomorrow. Don't ask...

He looks like a foreigner.

At work we've got this program that can identify faces. I can run him through.

- But I guess you've got one too, huh? - I quit.

Chicks are bitches.

You and Dana are together for ages! You were married before Gabina was even born.

- Vive la France. - What'd you say?

- I didn't say anything. - I'm going to Algiers.

- What kind of a parrot is that? - An African grey.

I'm glad you came to me. When a guy feels bad he needs a friend,

who'll support him and not ask questions. Are you on any anti-depressants?

No.

Well I've got some great ones here if you want.

You can even drink on them.

Not officially, but I've seen for myself it doesn't do any harm.

- What did he say now? - Dunno, something in French, I guess.

- Where'd you get him anyway? - At some press conference.

A company brought him there saying he belonged to Edouard Daladier.

The Daladier who signed the Munich Agreement in '38?

- Yeah - He's got to be at least 80 years old.

- I guess so. - By 80 we'll probably be long since.

Cheers.

- Pavel? - Dana.

- Where are you? - I'm not coming tonight.

The newsroom called. They said you stole a parrot.

The police are dealing with it. Pavel, what's going on?

- I saw the photos. - What photos?

- I found them in my email. - I don't understand you.

Pavel, where are you? Are you in the office?

- I know about everything. - What everything? -About your bird.

It says unbelievable things! I recorded it this morning on my Dictaphone.

A friend translated it for me. And imagine - it actually does Daladier's voice!

- Where are you taking it? - I've got to give it back.

- You're nuts. Don't you see the treasure we've got here? -it's just a parrot.

Who talks in Daladier's voice, and says thing like this...

- It really said that? - Not only once.

They're cheeky as monkeys! On the anniversary of the Munich Agreement,

they bring they bring this mangy fellow who says "Hitler's a great guy"!

You'd expect an apology. And not a provocation in the form of a parrot.

- An apology for what? - For what?

For betraying us in 1938!

It's because of them we couldn't defend ourselves from Hitler.

Ever since then we've been like weaklings, because we were scarred for life.

Once a puppet, forever a puppet.

The French have always shit on us and here's your official evidence.

What? You think I'm biased?

Just slinging mud because my wife ran off with a Frenchman? Nope!

Those are the objective facts.

Lenka left you for a Frenchman? I thought she was on holiday with Gáby.

Yeah, she is. Half a year now already.

It's a kind-of holiday slash fuck-fest with some French arsehole.

But that's my private bullshit. It has nothing to do with it.

- I'm sorry to hear it. - Yeah, me too.

- They do have good cheeses. - Cheeses?!

- And chansons. - This isn't about the chansons!

Look... This is a big issue!

This can get you back in the top league of reporting, you get me?

You used to be great. Now, you're burnt out.

I'm not even surprised they fired such a wreck.

Sorry for the honesty. But who other than a friend should tell you the truth?

- At least I don't work in a tabloid now. - Oh please!

When Helena Vondráčková gets breast cancer,

sooner or later you'll end up writing about it anyway, am I right?

So what do you propose?

I propose we give our gentleman the Full Media Monty.

Pin the French up like butterflies!

Okay.

- Pavel Liehm, hello. - Saša Bloch.

- Thanks for finding the time. - I heard the recording. It's outstanding.

- Do you need help? - No, thanks, I'll manage.

Come in.

Excuse me.

We have a lead, director.

A reporter did an interview with the parrot on Radio Free Europe.

Apparently it was the man who kidnapped him. Pavel Liehm.

Czechs are candy-asses.

- What is that? - That's the radio broadcast.

- Who said that? - Our parrot, director.

He did a radio interview with a parrot?

Is this some kind of madhouse? Did you report it to the police?

They say they're working on it. But the parrot really does say a lot.

The fuhrer is great.

Jana, get that reporter's number and call him.

And have the guy from the agency here at two.

- Hi. - Hi. What's that? -You'll see.

Five more newspapers called me. It's spreading like a bushfire.

- This is coming out in ours tomorrow. - Good.

- He was great on the radio. - Yes he was. -Just great you were!

- Your coffee, sir. - Thank you.

- Something for you? - I'll have the same.

Café créme.

Yep. Coffee. You got it.

- What did he say? - Café crem.

- Oh. Coffee with milk. - Yeah. Want a drink? Some water?

Hey, don't bite it.

- You two are getting on well, eh? - Pretty much.

Yes?

Yes. Fine. Okay.

- Jakub Železný wants us on television. - You and me? -No. Him and me.

- Sir? Mr Liehm is here for you. - Oh, great!

- Hello. - Hello. -Welcome.

- Is that him? - Yes. -Hi, good-looking.

Hi.

So put the parrot here please. Will it be sitting on the table?

I have a perch for him. Could he get a bit of water? Thanks.

Come on then.

So we'll be getting ready. Will you be giving him cues?

- No, he talks on his own. - Bourbon! Where's my bourbon?

No bourbon just yet.

You might hear someone speaking in our studio here, someone interrupting.

And that would be today's guest who has come, or rather flown here from France,

"Sir P", as well as his chaperone Mr Pavel Liehm.

The Fuhrer is great!

- Did he just say "The fuhrer is great"? - He did.

That's a rather surprising claim.

But at a certain time it may have seemed like that to Edouard Daladier.

Beneš pisses me off.

He hays, if you'll excuse me, "Beneš pisses me off".

The French Institute brought this parrot here for the anniversary

of the Munich Agreement on the grounds that it belonged to Edouard Daladier,

who as Prime Minister signed the agreement on behalf of France,

thereby violating the treaty with Czechoslovakia, and causing

-the so-called Munich Betrayal. - Exactly.

And these are authentic statements heard in the French statesman's office?

Probably so. The parrot does speak in Daladier's actual voice.

What we see here though is a different Daladier. According to this eyewitness,

Daladier may not have regretted his agreement with Hitler,

in fact he may have welcomed that drastic solution to the Czechoslovak question.

It does seem that Daladier was on warmer terms with Hitler

than with the Czechoslovak president.

That is a fascinating, I could say almost archaeological discovery though.

Certainly, and duly scandalous.

The parrot, or rather his teacher Daladier,

also has very critical things to say about us Czechs. What does he say about us?

It really is nothing flattering. He says we're cowards,

that we're basically idiots... He just said it again.

Honestly, to bring such a guest to our country

on the anniversary of the Munich Agreement is rather tactless, to put it mildly.

I agree. Particularly at a time when France

is vying for a contract to complete the Temelín nuclear power plant here.

What has the French reaction been so far?

As far as I know, they haven't responded officially.

Thanks a lot. Goodbye.

Sobotka, Bohemia Daily. Did your parrot say that Czechs stink?

- He didn't say that exactly. - May I have a question?

- What will you do with the parrot now? - I don't know yet.

Do you think Sarkozy should officially apologise for Munich?

- Will these French provocations influence the voting in Brussels? -Who knows?

- So? How were we? - Oh man!

- Good? - They arrested Polanski!

You know how he screwed that little girl in America and all?

In Switzerland! At a film festival.

He went for a prize and got fuck all. They pinned him up like a butterfly, the runt.

- He made good movies though. - Who gives a shit.

This is a hell of a scandal.

Clear proof what pigs filmmakers are. Especially the Polish ones.

- And what about our scandal? - Yesterday's news. Life goes on.

- On where? - There are new scandals on the horizon!

- And what's beyond the horizon? - Now you're getting philosophical?

Sorry, I gotta pack. I've got a plane to Switzerland in two hours.

I've got to work on that Polanski.

Guess what, parrot... they arrested Polanski!

You can stay here, of course, if you want.

- I'll leave tomorrow. - Whatever you want.

"Parrot as Vulgar as French Diplomacy".

"Daladier Was an Alcoholic", Says His Parrot.

"Does Sarkozy Have a 'Parrot' of his Own?"

"French Send Parrot in Place of Apology for Munich."

Excuse me, Mr Ambassador, the minister will be about 10 minutes late.

Thanks. Let me know when he gets here.

And so on and so on. What were you hoping for?

Apparently I underestimated the Czech sense of humour.

It's not humour. They're deadly serious about this.

- Or do you actually think we should apologise for Munich? -Certainly not.

In any case, I now have to apologise for you.

Do you know your actions have jeopardised Czech-French business relations?

Temelín, of course.

This could become a pretext for throwing us out of the tender.

- They won't do that. - Do you not know Czechs?

They're convinced that everything is damaging to them.

Do you know what Heydrich said about them?

"My Praguers understand me".

No, that was Mozart.

Heydrich said that Czechs are laughing beasts. Lachende Bestien.

So sort this out. I don't care how.

But I don't want to hear a word about that bird again.

And if you really care about France, you can always resign.

It's never too late for that either.

I thought we would meet in a café like two normal people.

I didn't want to leave him here alone.

That guy I was...

He sent you those photos.

- We had a row over it. - Sorry to hear that.

He wants me to leave you.

And you?

I don't know. I don't know what's going to happen.

I wanted to meet up with you and talk about it.

- Don't smoke in here, please. He doesn't like it. -Who?

The parrot. He's old.

When the police called the house, when they were looking for you,

I was so worried something had happened to you.

- I don't want anything to happen to you. - Did they ask about the parrot?

Yes, they asked about the parrot.

But I think we aren't going to talk about the parrot right now.

I think we have enough of our own things to talk about, don't you?

- What is it? - He said, "Czechs are cowards".

- Oh you speak French, do you? - I'm learning.

Well there you go!

- You always detested the French. - I didn't detest them.

They have good pâté.

I remember how much trouble you had learning to pronounce "café olé",

and then you tried it out on that waiter in Montmartre.

He couldn't understand you. Then he smacked his head and said: Oh! Café crem!

Cooperation is impossible.

- Sorry, his remarks on this are great. - Remarks on what? -On the two of us.

Do you understand that I'm trying to have a normal dialogue with you?

And you're here repeating things after a parrot! You're a parrot.

- And you're a whore! - Right! A whore and a parrot.

He's right. We really are cowards.

My own wife is cheating on me with some twat and I do nothing.

- What do you want to do, hit me? - Oh come on...

Go on then, hit me! Give me a slap! Maybe you won't feel like such a coward!

What the hell?

- Ow! - Bad parrot! Bad!

Go to your place! In the cage. Get in the cage!

That idiot almost pecked my eye out.

You raised your voice to me, he had to do something.

Oh right, of course he did.

I can't keep you from using our flat, of course.

I'll stay at the cottage for a while.

That's kind of you.

That guy of yours...

He's not mine.

- Is he a Czech? - Yeah he's a Czech.

What did you think? That he's a Hungarian?

"I'm crazy about Hitler". That is what was heard at a press conference yesterday

with a parrot that once belonged to Edouard Daladier.

"Sir P", now probably the most famous animal in the Czech Republic,

has said a variety unflattering things about Czechs and the Czech nation,

some that cannot even be broadcast.

A compilation of the elderly bird's phrases will soon be released in book form

entitled "Another Several Sentences".

Laura, my dear! How are you?

Philip, what on earth are you doing?

- What? - The parrot! What are you trying to prove?

My dear, I am so sad here without you.

Come see me right now, this weekend, what do you say?

Have you forgotten why they transferred you to Prague?

They didn't transfer me. I went voluntarily.

Because you caused an embarrassment in Germany. Yes you did.

And I was kind of hoping you wouldn't do the same thing in the Czech Republic.

But you managed to "draw attention" even in that backwater of a country.

Yes, come in. Laura, hang on, please. I'll call you back in a minute. Bye now.

Sir, Mr Liehm is calling you. The parrot man.

- You're bothering me with that? - He says it's urgent. -Okay, fine.

- Is that Mr Lacroix? - Yes. Go ahead.

Pavel Liehm here.

Sir, I have a proposal for you.

I want to keep your bird.

But I will promise that he'll never appear in public again.

Is that for good luck?

Parrot! Come on, parrot.

- Hello. - Hello.

You keep him just like that? On the loose?

We're friends.

- Where's the other one? - In the car. -Let's go then.

They look the same.

Exactly.

- You guarantee that this one doesn't talk? - It doesn't say a thing.

- Not in Czech, not in any other language. - Not a word.

- And that's the original cage? - Yes.

Alright.

I accept this agreement out of coercion.

I made a friendly gesture. I wanted to start a dialogue about our shared past.

But once again you've interpreted everything in your own way.

That's your problem.

I don't understand your mentality at all.

[feather rises slowly to sky]

What? You want some too?

Jean Dupont, Sir P's dialogue coach

It was a catastrophe and a tragedy.

Martin Myšička, actor

I knew I had completely cocked up.

Vladimir Škultéty, production manager

It was not a pleasant experience.

Tomáš Bambušek, director

People overstate that a film shoot is kind of like a war. We proved that it's true.

French actor Gerard Pierret was killed in a road accident yesterday afternoon.

He lost control of his hired car and drove off the motorway

near the Barrandov Bridge in Prague.

Police are investigating the incident, though no foul play is suspected.

50-year-old Pierret is the main star of a Czech-French co-production

about events surrounding the Munich Agreement entitled "Lost in Munich".

According to the producer, the film was half-way done at the time of the tragedy

and nothing stood in the way of its completion.

Now it seems what began as a promising project will never see the light of day.

After 76 years, the tragedy of Munich is back in new form.

FIVE MONTHS EARLIER

Prague, Václav Havel Airport, March 2014

What are you doing here?

We're waiting for Jean-Louis Trintignant.

- Trintignant! - Trintignant. A famous French actor.

He's 85, but he's in great shape and he's agreed to be in the film.

He'll be arriving soon for dress rehearsals.

- Who is he playing in the film? - The former assistant of Edouard Daladier

-during his prime ministership. - Before the war.

Right. He is invited to a press conference in Prague

for the anniversary of the Munich Agreement.

But, being senile, he confuses everything

and his quoting of Daladier causes a diplomatic scandal.

Kryštof is calling.

It is a huge honour for me to work with such an outstanding European actor.

I'm really looking forward to learning from his acting method,

-his way of working... - Trintignant isn't coming. -How so?

- He's got pharyngeal cancer. - Laryngeal? -Pharyngeal.

It's something like a prostate except you've got it here.

I was really looking forward to working with Trintignant. He was an icon.

And not just for me. We had beautiful scenes together in the script.

Who's this? Jean Lefébvre?

- He's dead. Has been for a year. - Well I'll take him down then.

But really, whoever we cast is always going to be a coffin dodger.

The character's supposed to be, what, 90?

- We'll find somebody younger and age him. - That's won't be believable.

A 90-year-old has a certain look, a certain gait.

It's up to you, Tomáš.

I agree with Vladimir that the age is a risk factor,

but we can't just cross the character out. And sol got an idea...

What if it was a parrot?

- Where? - That character.

Otherwise nothing would change.

Just instead of Daladier's secretary, the French bring Daladier's parrot to Prague.

- Why a parrot? - I dunno.

Churchill had a parrot. Why couldn't Daladier?

- It would do what? - Repeat things, like a parrot does.

Repeat what Daladier taught it. Like "Hitler is great" and the like.

And it causes a scandal just like in the last version.

- What kind of parrot would it be? - A Grey African.

- I checked it out, they live the longest. - Grey African...

Or it could be a turtle, they live even longer.

Look, I'm serious though.

- I've got a lady for parrots. - See how it all connects?

Better a parrot than a 90-year-old actor with prostate cancer far as I'm concerned.

I'll call Kryštof.

- Kryštof will tell us to fuck off. - Why would he do that?

- Because it's horseshit. - It's an idea.

So Kryštof agrees, but he says the French co-production element has to remain.

We'll get a French parrot.

Some flick this is going to be, gentlemen.

In the end we reached a compromise with Kryštof, the producer:

the parrot could be Czech,

but we would get a native French speaker to teach it to talk.

This is Jean Dupont.

Hello, I'm Edita, the interpreter, pleased to meet you.

Hi, I'm Tomáš, the director.

Vladimir! Come here for a minute.

This is Vladimir, the production manager.

This is Saša, the cinematographer.

Have you worked with birds before?

- With birds? - Yes, birds.

No. Never.

Well come have a look at it.

Just look at him, what a good-locker he is!

Say hi to him.

- He's supposed to say hi to the bird? - Yeah, tell him hello.

I thought I was going to be the assistant on a film about World War Two.

No one told me I was there to teach a parrot to talk.

So I told them, "forget it".

Then the bird looks at me and he actually repeats it: Forget it!

It was pure genius. So I said I'd give it a shot.

Actors' rehearsals

This film was based on the parrot actually speaking in Daladier's real voice.

So I actually had to learn to speak like Daladier.

Suddenly the character of Edouard Daladier took on real dimensions for me.

Martin, say hi.

Hi Charlie.

We started rehearsals with the parrot, but it was afraid of us.

It would get startled and fly off.

So Jean proposed that we use costumes and props to calm him down a bit.

- Marek, go with the text. - OK. Eh...

- What was it? Somebody feed me the line! -"They're cheeky monkeys".

They're cheeky monkeys. Next.

- Now you're going to take the bottle... - There's a bottle here, yeah?

- They're cheeky monkeys! On the anniversary of Munich... -Now go back...

- Next! Feed me the lines! - Here you go left.

- Who says Hitler's his buddy. - You open the cupboard.

- But I'm still holding the bottle... - Then put it down.

- And next? - You take a glass.

One would expect an apology, but...

You put down the glass.

- But how? -"And not a provocation with a parrot".

- This isn't working! -What's wrong? - Now you put down the glass...

- I can't concentrate like this! - That's the method!

- I have to show him we're partners. - But I'm your partner.

- I have more lines with the bird though. - That's true.

If you want to play hockey, you need a hockey stick.

Bless you.

I used a method that Marion Brando once developed in the Actors Studio.

Called the "proximity method".

I think Martin was the first to use the method on a parrot.

Won't the Frenchies mind us making so much fun of them?

No, it is funny. We're making fun of them with their own money. That's the joke.

- Could you take a look at something? - What have you got? -Those turds.

You come too, Marek.

I thought this one was best.

This is the one he's supposed to drop from on high. Show me how it bursts.

Marek, come here.

It's no good. It's not coloured through enough.

- What are you doing? That's my jacket! - You'll have good luck.

What luck? I didn't get shat on by a bird but by the propman.

Tomáš was walking around looking through a viewfinder with this really wide lens.

And I asked him what shot it was for, and he said "This is how Charlie sees it".

He wanted to make the whole film from the bird's point of view.

- Nice, huh? - Great.

We'd wanted to shoot in Prague's historical centre, but in the end

it was just easier to do it in the sets the Americans had forgotten at Barrandov.

14 DAYS UNTIL THE START OF SHOOTING

Whenever I talk to Bacri's agent he says he doesn't know

if he can give me his private number. His lawyer is unavailable.

We don't have a phone number, not even an email address for him.

We just have a couple of pictures and his measurements, which could be wrong.

And he's shooting in 14 days!

Come here...

These are the technical inspections, the shooting days in the Czech Republic,

and this is the French part of the shoot.

- And the blue lines are what? - These?

These are the shooting days for our French star who no one has seen yet.

Guys, 90 sort it out somewhere else.

Kryštof wanted there to be some famous French stars in the film.

I really didn't care much. Juliette Binoche, Audrey Tautou. Bring it on.

We were in a quandary, just waiting around to see who would arrive from France.

And it was starting to get quite suspenseful.

60, guys. I give you our cat!

Gerard Pierret.

So I was really surprised when Kryštof brought in this strange guy

who didn't even have a website, saying he was to play the role.

So much for star-power.

- Who is this person? - He's the actor.

This guy's an actor?

- And where did he act? - In France!

This guy here acted in France? And where in France?

It hardly matters, does it? On TV.

We wanted someone at least a little famous.

He is famous. The fact that you don't know him signifies nothing.

- You haven't seen a French film since La Nuit Américaine. -That's not true.

And the French are insisting on him.

- Who exactly insists on him? - Our co-producers.

The French co-producers insist on this guy?

Stop pointing at him. It's seriously rude.

Could you find me some films he's played in?

Gentlemen, don't complicate things.

- Tomáš, where do you want to hang this? - Put it in my office.

Vladimir!

I didn't know Gerard as an actor at all.

And I wanted to ask some Frenchmen who he was.

But then I realised I didn't know a single Frenchman.

They'll be crying Christopher Lambert.

That's nice. Lovely.

- Nothing more we can do with it, chief. -It's great.

It could use a bit of modern graffiti. "Pavel loves Jana", or something.

- I'm fucking Jana! - I'll write it on for you.

Ondra? We'll need to drive past it with the camera.

We can turn it during the shot.

- They guys will pick it up? - Yeah, and they'll turn it.

Six of them.

You knock...

You wait for an answer...

And you go in. You look around, you go in.

Stick to the text.

And the guy over there, what does he do?

He's not in it. That's her husband.

Hey, could you speak Czech, please?

- What did he say? - That he's your manager and husband.

And that's not true. He is not my manager. Tell him that.

- You're an embarrassment. - You're are! You and your French.

- Isn't his French bad? - Excuse me, do I speak bad French?

- Does he speak French badly? -It's excellent.

"Excellent". That means "good".

Jana, you should learn French though.

Gerard and I already agreed that he'd give me lessons.

- No, I'll give you lessons! - Vašek, can we rehearse?

- But I speak French. - Thank you, dear.

We will be shooting in the Czech Republic for thirty days and in France for twenty.

Ms Jana, you cancelled your honeymoon because of this project.

- Is it really that important to you? -| postponed my honeymoon, yes.

Because work is important to me and the French element is exciting.

Will this film bring any new perspectives to the Munich Betrayal?

- Yes, defin... - No. It's more of an absurdist comedy.

Very simple and, we hope, witty.

It's about a guy who makes friends with a parrot, leaves his job and his family,

and sets out with the circus and travels all over France.

Did you know that in the 19303,

Czechoslovakia held France up as an example?

We liked the French very much.

And you don't like us so much today?

No, not so much really.

I get a sense of that as well.

This historical conflict has manifested itself

in a decline in the popularity of French...

French smoked meats.

Our ham is the best in the world, Czechs ignore it.

We have amazing pate, no one even tastes it. It's unbelievable.

This is certainly the legacy of Munich.

PARTY BEFORE FIRST DAY OF SHOOTING

Translate it for him then, so he learns something.

I've done co-productions with the French, I think, nine times.

Eight of them weren't worth a shit.

They're just, you know... Jackasses.

In Prostějov, they don't make love, they fuck away any way they can think of.

In Prostějov, they don't make love, they fuck away any way they can think of.

Screaming together, like hell for leather,

Shagging their brains out whatever the weather.

Such are their habits, to fuck like rabbits, there on the cabbage...

- Let them finish singing. - We want to sing too.

- Then sing with them. - Let them sing with us!

1ST DAY OF SHOOTING

Thanks.

Jean!

Hi.

So this is Jean Dupont and our feathered hero, Charlie.

And there's one very important thing: No one speak to Charlie.

He has a limited capacity for new words,

and he could learn new to say new things and we don't want that. Thanks a lot.

These are harnesses for the parrot. We have three kinds.

Actually we based them on mountaineering knots, they're just much smaller versions.

And we also soaked it in his favourite fragrant oil so he'd feel good in it.

He's a good sport, he's very modest and we've all fallen in love with him here.

So final touches on the actors, please.

Let's get Charlie on the perch.

Hurry up, please, thanks. Marek to his first position.

Action!

Five more newspapers called me.

- He was great on the radio. - Yeah, he was. -You were just great!

That's right, coffee! You got it!

- What did it say? - Café créme.

Cut!

Good.

Martin, you need to be more intimate with the bird. Let us see that you're friends.

- Are you alright? -Yeah, I'm fine. - What's wrong with your eyes?

- What's going on, Martin? - I don't know.

- Are you okay? - Yeah. Good.

- That's not good. - It will be. -You're all red.

-It'll be OK. -Can we shoot? - Let's go on then. Everyone get ready.

This is not good...

Johana, get Martin into the tent, please.

I'll be fine.

- Look, in the sky, a pussy. - Yeah, you're right.

Tomáš, Martin is all swollen up and it keeps getting worse.

- Something stung him. - Is it not from the cosmetics?

No. I use normal make-up. That's never happened to me before.

Let's go have a look.

Martin? Show me.

What is it?

Give me five minutes and we can roll.

- This isn't good. - I'm good.

Really!

It wasn't a heart attack or a stroke, like we feared,

-but an allergy to feathers. - Says who?

Says the doctor. I just talked to him. They did tests on him.

Thank goodness. He's out of danger. We can shoot.

Yes. He's out of danger, but he can't come into contact with feathers.

That's no problem. Then he won't come into contact with feathers.

Tomáš... no... feathers.

No feathers. You understand, Adam?

You mean like, not even with Charlie?

Not even Charlie, that's right. You saw how he looked, didn't you?

The reason is the down. Feathers could kill him. Okay?

So he cannot come into contact with any bird, not Charlie, not a passing pigeon.

So we had a lead role who had 90% of his shooting days with a parrot

that he wasn't allowed to come close to, because he was allergic to feathers.

So what do we do? Option no. 1: Consider recasting.

I don't want to do that. Martin is perfect for the role.

What then?

Saša? Can we film Martin separately from the bird?

Yeah. But it would be technically demanding. But it's possible.

Adam, you hear that? Show me all the shooting days Martin has with the bird.

All of them.

It's just like you wrote it.

So...

We'll try to find a double for Martin for the over the shoulder shots.

For the front shots, we'll replace the bird with a fake.

Instead of a cage we'll use a travel box, you can't see inside it as well.

Jarda, find anything that looks like a parrot: puppets, toys, whatever.

- I've got something already. - Then bring it.

- Make sure there's no down in it. - Don't worry.

That's something for a kid's room. Not one of them is grey.

Look at these colours. Yellow and green.

Look, this is all very nice, but we shoot Jitka Schneiderová in the car tomorrow.

At 7 am.

- What time is it now? - About half past 12.

We'll we've got the luxury of six whole hours.

Jarda.

Yeah...

Alright then. I'm on it.

Thanks.

SECOND DAY OF SHOOTING

- Are we doing that No. 31 today? - Yes.

- I've got the parrot. - That looks perfect, Jarda.

What else does it do?

- It can move it's head... - Better yet, its wings.

That's great. Try flying over to Martin.

Martin, react -it looks real. React like it's alive!

This isn't going to work. I'll do it with the real bird.

- You can't, you're allergic to feathers. - Then I won't touch it.

Martin, I don't want to kill you.

Jarda, thanks, it looks great.

Nikolas, come here. Stand next to Martin.

Like twins. We'll just add a moustache.

Johana, have you got that moustache? Stick it on him, please.

Klára, take a photo.

Hey, get a move on, storm's coming.

A little rain is no problem. We'll solarise it.

So let's get the car ready, please!

Prop guys, get the parrot in the car.

Umbrellas down.

Slate, please.

- And action! - And what do you want to do, hit me?

Give me a slap then! Maybe you won't feel like such a coward!

Owl - Bad parrot! No! Back In your cage.

Be good!

Cut!

Super!

- Good! It's good, Martin. - That can't work.

No, it does work. Now you go away, we'll shoot it with the real bird.

Jitka, excellent. Runner!

I need an umbrella!

- You okay, Jitka? - I'm fine. He's the hysterical one.

You've got your own guard parrot! That idiot almost pecked my eye out.

Cut!

Good.

Yes, Martin?

-It's bad. - No, it is not bad.

- It looks stupid. - No, it's good.

People in the cinema won't be watching though binoculars! Or maybe they will...

I'm coming to see.

- What's wrong? - What happened? -What?

- Just my throat's a little scratchy. - Have you seen yourself? -No.

Is it bad?

It must be these flowers here.

- Are you allergic to flowers? - No.

I understood that I'd completely blown it.

Me, who would have done anything for this film,

who said there'd be no problems with me, now I was jeopardising the whole shoot.

SECOND WEEK OF SHOOTING

Have you got a second? I've got new options for the bird crap.

Give me a look.

-It's much better. -it's got definition. - The consistency is good.

How's Martin? Is he feeling okay?

They're giving him zinc injections. So hopefully okay.

- Hey, good work, Jarda. - Thanks.

Martin came out in a bit of a rash.

- The doctor said it's a reaction to wool. - Have you ever had that before? -No.

I guess it's a response to the zinc injections. But my face is good.

I've just got it in my eyes a bit, but I've got drops for that.

- So I'm even good for close-ups. - You're looking good.

But in the shot you're on the phone. We have to see your hand.

Camera. Slate at the end.

And action!

Dana, I'm not coming today.

I saw the photos.

They were in my email.

One more time.

Dana... I'm not coming today.

Cut! That's bad. Come down.

- What about the hand? - Bad.

Martin gradually developed allergies to almost everything.

I came to the shoot with Martin but he was nowhere to be found.

Then I see him back behind the studio, from a distance he looked like a doctor.

I go over to him to see what's up.

And then I see he's wearing a white robe and white clothes under it.

And he says: "Man, I'm fucked. I'm allergic to coloured materials."

When neither the pills or the injections worked I went to this homoeopath

and he says: "You're not allergic to down, or to materials or to zinc.

You're allergic to the issue of the Munich Agreement."

And I'm like: And how do you treat that?

Pilsen, psychiatric clinic

Granddad was mobilised and he was agonised by the fact

that we couldn't defend ourselves in '38.

He even wanted to return the decoration he got as a French Legionnaire.

So Munich was a family theme for us.

Right from the beginning people were coming to me and telling me

how wonderful it was that I'm doing this topic.

And I'd say "what topic do you mean"? It's a comedy about a guy with a parrot.

But gradually I came to understand that we can't avoid it.

We're got a bit of time. Let's go back to the initial press conference.

So you don't think the director would bring the parrot as an apology for Munich?

- I don't want to rewrite your script. -It's not about that.

You lived in France for a long time, you know the French.

I don't think he cares at all about apologising to the Czechs.

The motif of the apology... Nobody thinks about it like that.

They don't feel like they have anything to apologise for. Just the opposite.

What do you mean just the opposite?

Their recollection is of Hitler attacking Paris with Czechoslovak tanks.

Yeah sure, but if they hadn't sold us out then Hitler wouldn't have had those tanks.

No. The tanks were made after Munich.

So I said to myself that I'd at least read the Munich Agreement.

And I read the first paragraph. Total shock.

The original...

- And the translation. -What's this for? - That's the Munich Agreement. -So I see.

Let's read it.

Does it somehow affect our shooting schedule for next week?

Seriously, let's read it. Have you ever read it?

We'd better do the schedule, because as you might not know,

- Martin's gone to Pilsen for treatment. - The two are related.

- You knew about that? - I did.

- What kind of treatment? - Holotropic breathwork.

Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy...

The very first line of the Munich Agreement reads:

Taking into consideration the agreement, which has been already reached,

for the cession to Germany of the Sudeten German territory...

the powers have agreed on the following conditions governing the said cession.

So they're referring to another agreement made previously somewhere else.

But when and where? And at this point, for me, it started to be a detective story.

THIRD WEEK OF SHOOTING

If you ask people, 99% will tell you that A:

France betrayed us in Munich, because they broke the treaty they had with us.

And B: They'll start talking about whether we should have defended ourselves or not.

Neither of those things is important.

No other event in our history is as steeped in myth as Munich.

Or rather, no other event is built merely on myths.

Věra Pálková, Právo. I'd like to know if Mr Daladier

ever came to Prague after the war and how he liked it.

Plodková is a whore.

She's fucking Gerard! She's fucking Gerard!

Cut!

- That was cut, okay? - Why did you cut?

- Someone said cut. - I didn't say anything!

- Then it must have been the parrot. - Then let the parrot direct the film!

Jean, you had five months to teach the thing ten stupid sentences.

Instead, he shouts about fucking and stops the shoot.

Ten minutes' break, okay? Thanks.

I need Charlie to repeat what we agreed on.

And not interrupt the shoot.

What's wrong?! What happened?!

- Gerard! - You dipshit! What have you done?!

Come here you arsehole! What have you done?! You moron!

Are you a psychopath? What are you doing?

- You're screwing him? I'll kill him. - Are you sane?! What are you doing?

Charlie, it's a spousal dispute. Nothing's wrong. Don't worry.

Jean and Charlie had gotten really close.

OK, we can shoot.

- Charlie can't shoot right now. - Why wouldn't Charlie be able to shoot?

- He's in shock. - He's in shock?

And where is he?

He's in his caravan.

- Charlie has his own caravan? - Charlie has his own caravan.

- We ordered Charlie a caravan? - No. Jean here bought it for him.

So this is Charlie's caravan?

Charlie is overworked... He loses concentration and needs to relax.

You have to understand one thing, Jean. We have to shoot it today.

Excuse me, but Charlie's agent decides what he does.

Charlie has an agent? Who is his agent?

- Me. - Jean had become Charlie's agent

and he was negotiating the best labour conditions for him.

So for example, he started claiming Charlie could only shoot six hours a day,

-because he was essentially a child. - That's absurd.

Tomáš, it is absurd, but Jean bought him, so the bird is his

and he can do whatever he wants with it. That's how it is.

Okay.

I'll go see how he's feeling.

We didn't have a lead actor, because he was off for treatment,

one of our actresses was being threatened with murder by her jealous husband,

and the parrot had gone on strike.

Suddenly it became very difficult to continue.

FOURTH WEEK OF SHOOTING

- Martin! You look just perfect. -Thanks. - How are the allergies? -Okay.

Gerard almost got hit by a car, but we're still ploughing ahead.

- What about you? How did you end up? - Some big things happened there.

- Some big things have happened here! - Nice.

Tomáš borrowed blistery books about the Munich Agreement from me.

Naturally, every historian interprets the event a little differently.

When I came back from Pilsen he asked me:

Who's right then? Which historian?

And I said: Tesař.

Tesař offers raw facts. No speculation.

For years he worked in the Military History Institute

until the Communists locked him up.

And his basic idea is: Munich was not a national tragedy, just the opposite,

it was the greatest diplomatic victory this country had since 1918.

The only tragedy was the myth that emerged from it.

Bunker in first position, please.

Close the traffic, don't let anyone in.

Pan the bunker.

They came to me and said: We think it would be good

to get more information about what really happened in September '38, into the film.

Alright then. Tell it to me in five sentences.

Keep it simple.

Munich was a huge diplomatic success.

One that, for some unfathomable reason, we are not proud of.

I don't get it.

Beneš started off with two, absolutely correct assumptions. First:

That war was inevitable, and second: that Germany would lose it.

- As would everyone who joined them in it. - That's obvious, isn't it?

Maybe today, but in 1938... it wasn't by a long shot.

Beneš' strategy was the only one possible. He's playing for time.

He needs Germany to look like the aggressor against somebody else,

probably Poland, and for a western front to open up. But before that happens,

Czechoslovakia must not disappear from the map of Europe.

But at the same time it cannot become an ally of Germany! That's really important.

Why would we become an ally of Germany?

Because at least 55% of the Czechoslovak Parliament is pro-German.

If they were to vote on the Sudetenland in Parliament they would just surrender it!

Then why wasn't there a vote on it?

Beneš was able to keep Parliament from meeting from March of '38 onwards.

So Beneš agreed with the surrender of part of the country?

Not just that. He actually offered France the exchange! In secret.

He has to create the impression that Czechoslovakia is a pro-Western,

democratic country, but at the same time prevent a direct attack from Germany.

In May of '38, Beneš quietly instructs the French diplomats to push his plan through:

To give up part of the country in exchange for returning German Jews and democrats.

- But it's all a delaying manoeuvre. - Which worked out, or didn't?

More or less, it did. The only problem was that France and England agreed with Hitler

to cede a much larger piece of land.

Suddenly it was about the whole Sudetenland. And that's the betrayal.

And they didn't reach it at the Munich Conference, but a whole week before!

- It doesn't matter when, does it? - So you would think.

So this is how our Day 1 looks: the night of the 20th/21st of September, 1938.

An ultimatum reaches Prague Castle from the British and French envoys

demanding the surrender of the Sudetenland.

- Beneš pretends to be outraged... - He really was outraged.

But nonetheless convinces the government to accept the ultimatum.

Which is an unconstitutional act. Only parliament can change the borders.

And Parliament doesn't convene.

But Beneš resolves that quite elegantly as well.

Hodža's government steps down. The new government of Gen. Sirový takes its place,

but the old government's unconstitutional decision remains in force!

But! How do you explain this to the people?

Is the nation intelligent enough to grasp this?

Beneš thinks not. And he decides to enact a performance.

- The government stepping down? - No. General mobilisation.

Seemingly forced by the masses, but actually prepared long beforehand.

- Jesus Christ. - Yes... Jesus Christ!

A sacred moment in Czech history: the general mobilisation in '38.

From the military point of view, sheer stupidity.

The army's General Staff moves to Vyškov, which is 70km from the Austrian border.

The German fighters and bombers could be there in minutes.

Hitler realises that it's just a game and doesn't respond to the mobilisation.

And your grandfather?

My grandfather, as opposed to Hitler, believes in the September mobilisation.

The feeling of national unity is authentic.

But misguided. It was just a "happening",

which luckily the Czechoslovak generals call off after a week

then they openly declare that going against Hitler is suicide.

Both military and political.

So what they sign on Sept. 29th in Munich is how the surrender of the Sudetenland

will be carried out technically. Again, Czechoslovakia accepts...

- Again unconstitutionally? - Once again unconstitutionally,

and the country becomes the first official victim of the Nazism.

But at the same time it becomes the victor of the psychological war,

which until now Hitler has been winning.

And thanks only to the fact that we forced the French into the role of traitors.

Hang on... "forced"?

The fact remains that France violated the international treaty they had with us.

Every country did that in the thirties. Poland had a treaty with Germany.

By accepting Munich we violated a treaty we had with the Soviets.

That was completely normal, unfortunately.

But we were the only ones to make an exemplary case out of it.

And what's more, from October of '38 until March of '39,

we cultivate such a feeling of presumed injustice that it doesn't even occur to us

to stop making weapons that will now, of course, fall into the hands of Hitler.

And when Hitler attacks France a year later,

using Czechoslovak weapons made after Munich, we are maliciously happy about it.

And that is the real French trauma! Czechoslovak tanks on the Loire!

But we're an occupied country. All in all it's a tragedy.

Why? The loss of life is minimal, damage to buildings and monuments is negligible.

And most importantly, after the war, we find ourselves on the winning side.

Which isn't a given.

And this is where Beneš' other daring deed comes in:

He's able to win back not the pre-war but the pre-Munich borders.

- From which we drive out the Germans. - Nothing less than a miracle.

A miracle. His plan works out at 100%.

- But it has one drawback. - What's that?

You would want to know.

He can never admit to it.

With everyone in Nuremberg apologizing for the Munich Agreement,

Beneš can't just come out and say: Hi, I'm Beneš,

and I supported all this from behind the scenes. No way.

He has to keep up the performance.

And he keeps it up, even when many are calling him a coward and a traitor

who wouldn't allow the Czechoslovak nation to fight.

But Beneš stands his ground until his death.

The fate of the nation is more important to him than his reputation.

- And why don't we learn this in school? - Good question.

Because there was one thing that Beneš didn't think through:

The successful-ness of the myth that he helped to create this way.

The myth about the impossibility of self-defence is so popular in this society

that we used it whenever we collectively cocked something up.

The elections in 1946, in '48, in '68.

We have one big excuse for everything - that we couldn't fight that week in 1938!

It broke our backs.

- Let's try to get that in there somehow. - What exactly?

That the Czech nation doesn't participate in its own history.

And that we live in cultural and political isolation because we're still convinced

that everybody around us just wants to do us harm.

And let's stop making fun of the French, who aren't to blame for anything anyway,

-and start making fun of ourselves. - Yep.

If you want to re-write the script, then Kryštof should probably know.

Let's meet up with him then.

22ND DAY OF SHOOTING

- Her French is quite cute. - Gerard has been giving me lessons.

So have at me, boys. Spare no punches.

How are we getting on?

We have about 40% of the film, all the French motifs are missing,

and parts of some Czech scenes.

The question is whether the French would mind if we added a new storyline.

- Boys, forget the French. - Wait, what about the French co-producer?

- There is none. - What do you mean there is none?

I have the phone number for the French co-producer.

- Leave it be. - But I do!

Here in the office. I'll call him. OK?

- Go ahead and call him. - OK, I'll call him.

We really need to talk about cash-flow, because I've got overdue invoices hanging,

and they're for locations that we'll need to go back to. So it's a priority...

And here's some others that can wait a little longer, but really...

It's ringing.

Sorry, I've got a call.

Now do you get it?

This is the French production. This is the Czech production.

And this is the Czech-French co-production.

But I'm still the one with the phones in his hand.

Now hang on... That can't be...

-it can't just all be a sham. -It's not a sham. That's how it's done.

You do a fake production in a foreign country so you have a fake co-production

so you get money from the European Union. Just leave it alone for now, please.

But you're supposed to be actually working with real people in that country.

- And not think up accounting loopholes! - How do you want to work with the French?

The French don't give a shit about you. They don't give a shit about your film,

and the don't give a shit about your Munich Agreement.

- So you've been bluffing the whole time. - Yes. I've been bluffing!

I bluffed the Czech investors that I have French co-producers

thanks to which I can sell the film into French distribution.

But the money the investors promise me, and might actually give me one fine day,

that I move to a French account so that the books sit.

So that we can get money from the European Film Fund - Eurimage.

With that money we actually do the shoot.

I do all of this so that you guys here can cope with your historical traumas

instead of doing what was supposed to be a comedy for the whole family.

So everything's okay then?

- No it is not okay. -Why? - Because we didn't get the Eurimage grant.

How long have you known that?

Two hours.

Whenever we didn't have time for something

we'd say, "we'll finish it in France".

Not even remotely did it occur to anyone that the French weren't really even there.

I started asking where the French actors had come from.

It turned out that, like Fatima for instance,

she was an Algerian who cleaned Kryštof's office.

23RD DAY OF SHOOTING

We've gotten into some problems, and the best thing we can do right now

is suspend the shoot,

Just for a week for now, until we sort out the situation with our French co-producer.

- So we're not shooting today? - Nor tomorrow, Saša, unfortunately.

- Is it because of the allergies? -It's because of money.

- There's no money. - How so? -I don't know, ask Vladimir.

I asked 'how is this possible'? How could they break the contract?

As it turned out, there hadn't ever been any contract signed.

But the crew took it like a betrayal by the French.

FRENCH = SWINE

The general mood was: The French have betrayed us again.

Did you slash my tyres?

What are you trying to pull?!

- Are you okay? - Work was done, I want money.

People started coming to me saying, "of course, that can happen to anyone,

our fingers are crossed for you, it's a big issue, it's sure to be a great movie.

But if you don't pay us, we're going to get mean...

- Honza, what the fuck are you doing? - You're going to pay, buddy!

Do you want me to call the cops?

Vladimir. Gerard wants to keep shooting. Adam does too, Saša too. Jean too.

We've got the material, we've got the cameras. Let's keep shooting.

I don't share your optimism.

Pissed-off people are coming to me and they're not open to discussion.

And you know why? Because you didn't tell them the truth!

It's not true that the French have backed out. That's not true.

The truth is too complicated. You think some lighting guy cares?

- Guys, where's the fridge? - Somebody stole it.

You want to give up?

Understand, that the question for me right now isn't how to finish the film,

but how to avoid going to jail. Do you understand that?

Where's the coffee machine?

Vladimir, two stupid days of shooting. Let's at least finish the basic motifs.

I can't force people to work on a project they're not getting paid for.

- I'm not suicidal. - Then I'll pay them myself.

Copy machine's gone...

- Yeah? - Yeah!

Then pay me as well then please. Because I've got a pretty penny in this as well.

How much have you got in it? Because I've got two years of my life.

Too bad that in two years you couldn't think up what to make the film about!

In the end there were six of us.

Bathrobe off.

24TH DAY OF SHOOTING, SKELETON CREW

Marker.

- Sync. - Action!

Pavel Liehm. Sir, I have an offer for you.

Cut. Good.

Martin, good.

Jean, go get Charlie, we'll shoot it with the parrot.

Yes, sir!

We had kind of hoped that Charlie had just flown off, or that someone let him out.

Unfortunately that wasn't what happened.

- What's up? -It's horrible.

We had this stuff that we used as artificial poop.

And the bikers drowned the parrot in it.

He loved that bird. It was like family to him.

Maybe even more.

He always had him on his shoulder, and they whispered to each other.

I actually never saw Jean get on with a human being so closely.

That was just crazy. I felt bad about it too.

I mean, I'd shot my bit with the bird as well.

Cut. No good.

I taught Charlie human speech, and he taught me something in return.

He taught me what it is to be a bird.

It's hard.

As know yourself, the situation has become quite complicated.

SEPTEMBER 2,2014 END OF SHOOT

How's Jean?

Pretty good. He gets out of hospital tomorrow.

His eyebrows and hair is burnt slightly,

but he's going to be fine.

Is there any chance of finishing the film?

- No. - Just a moment!

The struggle continues. Translate it.

In France, when there's a really big problem

the producer goes to the Ministry of Culture.

Here it's the other way around. When there's a really big problem

then we get a new minister of culture.

Czech sense of humour!

Gerard, you're not an actor, are you?

I'm not.

And who are you?

I am a charcuterie.

I make pâté and foie gras.

I have a little shop in Prague.

It's not doing very well.

In the same building our producer lives in, am I right?

Correct.

- Gerard, you're a great actor. - Thank you. -Really though.

If I ever make another film with Frenchmen, I'll certainly cast you.

- Put 'er there. - Put 'er there.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014, clearing out the production room

What?

What happened?

Gerard's dead.

Are you kidding me?

Vladimir just called. He died in a car crash.

Oh man...

French actor Gerard Pierret was killed in a road accident yesterday afternoon.

He lost control of his hired car and drove off the motorway

near the Barrandov Bridge in Prague.

Police are investigating the incident, though no foul play is suspected.

50-year-old Pierret was the main star of a Czech-French co-production

about events surrounding the Munich Agreement entitled "Lost in Munich".

Crap!

According to the producer, the film was half-way done at the time of the tragedy

and nothing stood in the way of its successful completion.

Now it seems what began as a promising project will never see the light of day.

After 76 years, the tragedy of Munich is back in new form.

I don't think it was an accident or a coincidence.

Gerard was a victim of this shoot. But I can't prove it.

It was murder. Somebody loosened his wheels.

Gerard was a good driver. There's no reason he would drive into a tree.

If I were to really be cynical, I'd say Gerard's death actually saved the shoot.

And probably saved me personally from jail.

A new myth was born.

The myth of the great film that could not be finished due to the death of the actor.

Smile, we're making a movie!!

And only a couple of people know what really happened.

How can we understand history when we can't even understand

what is happening here and now, in front of our very eyes?

What's that in your hand?

The Croix de Guerre.

- So your grandfather didn't return it? - No, he didn't.

Martin at his father's grave in the Sudetenland.

Our duo says farewell to the Czech countryside.

A feather rises. Anticipation of future adventures.

Martin leaves for France. Main Train Station.

Martin has Charlie on a trapeze in the circus.

The audience applauds.

Charlie rides on the back of a horse, Martin with whip.

Close-up on acrobat girl, amorous glances.

Martin with the acrobat girl, couple in love.

Martin in bed with acrobat and Charlie.

An argument with acrobat.

Charlie licks a tear from Martin's cheek.

Martin and parrot set off on a trip across France.

Charlie drives, Martin sleeps.

The fortifications of the Maginot Line pass by.

Martin and Charlie take pictures in front of a bunker on the Maginot Line.

Martin and Charlie in Paris.

In front of Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Charlie pulls the rope, the bell rings.

I welcome you, Reichsprotektor,

to the venerable land of Bohemia,

with the deepest feelings of respect

and awareness of the great responsibility at this truly historic moment.

It is a great honour for me

that I can address you, as Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia,

at the place of your important activities,

and in your position as deputy and direct representative

of fuhrer and Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

In the name of the government and all offices of the Protectorate,

I can assure you, Reichsprotektor, of loyal cooperation

to ensure the calm and happy development of both our nations in our countries.

Allow me to express my hope

that your stay here with us will forge a firm foundation for the happier future

that our nation confidently expects.

For you, Reichsprotektor, as well as for the sake of my own nation and country,

I hope that the approaching period in the life of the Czech nation,

which will be recorded in history as the chapter of your protectorate,

will be successful and glorious.

Translation and subtitles by Christian Falvey