René

At the age of 16, René Plášil was convicted of theft at his military school and sent to a juvenile detention center for two and a half years. Helena Třeštíková documents the consequences of this harsh punishment for his future life for almost twenty years with a great deal of patience and sometimes self-denial. Over the course of this long period, René emerges as a very charismatic and highly intelligent protagonist who is happy to reflect on his complex and multifaceted relationship with the filmmaker (including breaking into her private apartment and stealing) in front of and for the camera. While René's life is characterized by monotony and repetition, the country is going through years of instability as well as major social, economic and political changes. With the film, Třeštíková exposes social norms by juxtaposing them with an unconventional portrait. René was awarded the European Film Award for Best Documentary in 2008. (Marion Biet / Nicole Kandioler / Isabella Reicher)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum