Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me? [screening: Havel 90 Festival]

This screening is part of the Havel 90 Festival Film Marathon, a three-day exploration of Havel’s relationship with cinema within a four-day celebration of his life, art, and legacy.

Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me? (Tady Havel, slyšíte mě?) / dir. Petr Jančárek / 2023 / documentary / Czechia / Czech with English subtitles / 87 min.

In April 2009, Václav Havel invited filmmaker Petr Jančárek to record the rest of his life. The resulting documentary offers an unusually close view of his final years, moving between international engagements, encounters with friends, and everyday moments at home.

Away from the formal image of the former president, Havel emerges as funny, restless, vulnerable, and still full of creative ambition. Central to the film is the realization of a lifelong dream: directing Leaving, the screen adaptation of his own play. As he navigates the demands of filmmaking and declining health, its themes of departure acquire a deeply personal resonance.

Built from previously unseen footage, Havel Speaking, Can You Hear Me? finds its subject not on a pedestal but in the midst of living. It is a portrait of a writer, husband, friend, and public figure confronting uncertainty without losing his curiosity or sense of humor.

Havel 90 Festival is organized by the Czech Center New York and the Vaclav Havel Center, with support from the Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association.

DISCLAIMER

Tickets and Admission: Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. All ticket sales are final. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the screening begins; latecomers may be refused admission.

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