Synopsis

The documentary feature Czech Architecture 58-89 is the first film that comprehensively maps Czech architecture of the second half of the 20th century. Brutally beautiful, though brutally neglected. Besides the grey flood of prefabricated blocks of flats, the second half of the twentieth century also saw the creation of exceptional, spiritual and timeless buildings that attracted attention even in the West. In his unique feature-length documentary based on the original idea of Vladimir 518, Jan Zajícek makes an expedition into the pre-revolutionary Czech architectural scene. With accounts of leading architects and theorists and impressive shots of the most interesting Czech (and to lesser extent Slovak) post-war buildings, he creates a plastic portrait of an era where a brave, modern and inspiring spirit flourished alongside the official and the structured.