Králův kalich

A section of the life of George of Poděbrady from his coronation to his death (1458–1471), creating a portrait of a remarkable monarch whose name shone as a symbol of Czech statehood, as a symbol of a victorious military leader and a prudent statesman; a powerful, complex and contradictory personality in the midst of a very dramatic fifteenth century. During thirteen years of independent rule, he wanted to defend with all his might what had been won by the Hussites; he wanted to defend it even in a time and environment that, on the contrary, wanted to settle accounts with the Hussites. It was during this tense time that Poděbrady's idea of ​​creating an association of monarchs who would resolve conflicts through agreements and treaties, and not through war, arose. Even as a father, he made a sacrifice for his beloved country when he did not hand over the crown of the Czech king to his son, but to the Polish king Vladislav, the "Prince of Peace".

Directed by Jan Matějovský, Králův kalich leans on a strong ensemble — Petr Haničinec, Daniela Kolářová, Zdeněk Buchvaldek — 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 history titles of 1975.