Manželské etudy po 35 letech: Marcela a Jiří (Marriage Stories, 35 years later: Marcela and Jiří)

After Třeštíková's long-term portrait of her was shown on Czech television in February 2006, Marcela received calls and letters from viewers, some of whom even supported her with monetary gifts. After the tragic loss of her daughter, Třeštíková accompanied Marcela for another eleven years, during which the grief, fears and psychiatric stays also determined the everyday life of her son Tomáš. On her 50th birthday, which she celebrates with Tomáš and her closest friends, there is a little happiness when she sings along to her favorite song and the tears don't stop flowing: "I'm not looking for a more beautiful world." A few months later, Tomáš barely survives a serious traffic accident. After a long convalescence, he is finally on the mend, but his relationship with his mother seems irreparable. The openness of the protagonist and the impartiality of the filmmaker create an interpersonal encounter characterized by empathy and solidarity. (Marion Biet / Nicole Kandioler / Isabella Reicher)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum