The above invitation includes the poster of Věra Chytilová created by Tomáš Němejc.                      

Event Details: 

Date/Time: February 20, 2024, at 6 pm  

Location: Embassy of the Czech Republic          

3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW      

Washington, DC 20008 

RSVP: https://CzechHeroines.eventbrite.com/ | Admission is free.           

About the Exhibit:      

The Czech Heroines exhibit offers portraits of prominent Czech women as seen through the eyes of today’s wave of young illustrators, students of the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art at the University of West Bohemia, led by their mentor and teacher Renáta Fučíková. The exhibit is presented in collaboration with the Czech Centres and Radio Prague International / Czech Radio. 

“Nowadays, at the start of the 21st century, it goes without saying that women in the Czech Republic have the freedom to make decisions about their place in society, their education, property, or professions. We can hardly imagine the kind of effort that those who came before us had to exert in whatever they did. We are right in calling them HEROINES.” ~ Renáta Fučíková, Head of Media and Didactic Illustration, Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art / University of West Bohemia in Pilsen         

DAISIES (Sedmikrásky)          

Dir. Věra Chytilova, 1966, 76 min., in Czech with English subtitles           

Věra Chytilová’s absurdist film follows the misadventures of two young mischievous women. Believing the world to be “spoiled,” they embark on a series of pranks in which nothing is taken seriously. The characters in Daises, Marie I and Marie II, declare at the beginning of the film that since the world is spoiled, they will be spoiled too.  The film was banned by the communist regime upon its initial release in 1966 until 1967. It won the Grand Prix at the Bergamo Film Festival in Italy.

Věra Chytilová (Feb. 2, 1929 – March 12, 2014)          

A pioneer of Czech cinema, Věra Chytilová studied film at the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (FAMU) and was the only female of the Czech New Wave directors. She is internationally renowned for her film Daisies (1966). Her films also include Fruit of Paradise (1970), The Apple Game (1976), The Inheritance or Fuckoffguysgoodday (1992), and Pleasant Moments (2006), to name a few. She was bestowed the award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the World at the 35th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2000 and the Czech Lions Artistic Achievement Award in 2001.                  

Embassy Policy: By registering, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists by attending this event on the premises of the Embassy of the Czech Republic. You and any family members and guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and the Embassy of the Czech Republic or any of their diplomats, staff, contractors, affiliates, employees, agents, or volunteers liable for any illness, injury, or death.

The Embassy of the Czech Republic disclaims and excludes any and all liability for any loss, injury, or damage, alleged to have been suffered by or as a result of or otherwise on its premises. No large bags are allowed. Small purses may be checked as you pass through security for entrance. RSVP confirmation and photo ID required.

Parking: Non-metered parking is available on Spring of Freedom Street and Tilden Street.

Closest Metro: The Embassy is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Van Ness Metro Station.