Desire / All My Good Countrymen (Region Free)

These two films by Vojtěch Jasný, one of Czechoslovak cinema's most renowned and influential film artists, tell deceptively simple tales of rural life.

Desire (Touha, 1958), a lyrical film poem beautifully shot across four seasons, represents the eternal cycle of human life from birth to death. A key film in the evolution of Czechoslovak cinema, Second Run present Desire for the first time anywhere on Blu-ray.

1959 Cannes Film Festival / Winner: Special prize, Prix de la meilleure sélection

“After long years of deliberate stifling of form, Desire resurrected in Czech cinema the film poetry once upon a time introduced to it by Rovenský, Frič, Vančura, and Vávra” Jan Žalman, Films and Filmmakers

All My Good Countrymen (Všichni dobří rodáci, 1968) made a decade later, weaves together the stories of a group of friends whose lives reflect the seismic political changes in post-war Czechoslovakia.

One of the wonders of the Czech New Wave, this autobiographical masterpiece, made with deep affection for corruptible, flawed humanity, is a potent reminder of the lives, friendships and idealism lost under totalitarian rule.

Presented from a glorious new 4K restoration, All My Good Countrymen makes its world premiere on Blu-ray.

1969 Cannes Film Festival / Winner: Best Director; Winner: Jury Prize

“An historic film for both its extraordinary poetic and social qualities and its position as the masterpiece of Vojtěch Jasný” New York Times

Blu-ray 2-disc Special Edition features:

• Two-disc Blu-ray Special Edition.
• All My Good Countrymen presented from an HD transfer of the new 4K restoration by the Czech National Film Archive.
• Desire presented from a new HD transfer by the Czech National Film Archive.
• Vojtěch Jasný introduces All My Good Countrymen (2015).
• It's Not Always Cloudy (Není stále zamračeno, 1949): Jasný’s rediscovered feature-length semi-documentary graduation film,
co-directed by Karel Kachyňa.
• Bohemian Rhapsody (Česká rapsodie, 1969) : Jasný’s acclaimed short film.
• Interview with Vojtěch Jasný (1988): an archival interview with the celebrated filmmaker made for the Channel 4 television
series The Other Europe.
• An interview with actor Drahomíra Hofmanová (2015).
• Peter Hames on Vojtěch Jasný (2015).
• A Projection Booth audio commentary on All My Good Countrymen with Mike White, Spencer Parsons and Chris Stachiw.
• Booklet featuring an expansive new essay on Jasný and the films by author Peter Hames.
• New and improved English subtitle translations.
• Reversible sleeve.
• World premieres on Blu-ray.
• Region Free (A/B/C) Blu-rays.