English Strawberries

In the hot summer, a young man, Tomáš Sinek, is about to go "strawberry picking" in England. It seems that the family - father, mother and grandmother have no other worries than to send their offspring on the trip, although - as it seems - not everyone agrees with his decision. However, the situation is not so simple. It is Czechoslovakia in 1968. Tomáš spends a night with his friends and his girlfriend Tanya before their departure. In the morning, however, his father's suspicious phone calls with his colleague Vrana begin, full of secret information, his mother is making supplies and his grandmother is crying. Tomáš rushes to the station, but Prague is deserted and no trains are running. He doesn't consider the situation to be serious, so he is not too worried about the delay for a day. But on that August morning, the fate of thousands of people changed radically. It was August 21, 1968, and in a few moments the life of Tomáš, his family and his friends would turn around.

Directed by Vladimír Drha, English Strawberries leans on a strong ensemble — Ivan Lupták, Marie Štípková, Hana Holišová — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2008.