Richard Askwith on Unbreakable: The Woman Who Defied the Nazis in the World's Most Dangerous Horse Race
Come and join us for an evening with Richard Askwith, author of an evocative biography of Emil Zátopek, speaking about his new book Unbreakable and Lata Brandisová, the first and only woman to win the Grand Pardubice, the world’s most dangerous steeplechase, defying the Nazis in the process and winning the heart of the nation. Richard will be in conversation with Julian Wilde about the tale of courage and heartbreak, in an age of fear and prejudice: of sexism, class hatred, and nationalism.
Soldiering on: Czech Freedom Fighters in Great Britain 1940 -1945
Following the 1939 occupation of Czechoslovakia and French capitulation, more than 4,000 Czechoslovak soldiers arrived in Britain during the summer of 1940 to fight alongside the British. Refugee filmmakers Jiri Weiss and Karel Lamač captured the faces of fellow countrymen (including those stationed at Cholmondeley Castle and the 311 Squadron Coastal Command), as they undertook arduous duties and domestic work such as doing the laundry, peeling potatoes and exercising. With rare footage ranging from the life of a pilot and a briefing in the operations room to humorous takes on the peculiarities of British life, the short films produced by the Czechoslovak Film Unit and Crown Film Unit are not only examples of the Ministry of Information pro-war propaganda but an important and unique testimony to those willing to sacrifice their lives in the fight for freedom.
Blue Innovations: Contemporary Czech Indigo Prints
The Blue Innovations exhibition, part of London Craft Week, showcases the work of contemporary Czech designers who create exceptional, high quality hand-made items using traditional indigo printing techniques for decorating fabrics. It will also introduce these techniques, which have been integral to Czech culture for centuries and are now on UNESCO‘s lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
European Literature Night: Poetry and Performance with Olga Stehlíková and Tomáš Braun
Explore the intersection between poetry and performance in the work of Czech poet Olga Stehlíková, winner of the prestigious Czech literary prize Magnesia Litera and her musical collaborator Tomáš Braun. Stehlíkova and Braun will introduce their joint project Vejce/Eggs, Czech-English couplets which sit at the edge of poetry, music and spoken word, together with the work of Latvian poet and visual artist Valts Ernstreits, Estonian poet and Nobel Prize nominee Doris Kareva and French musician Francois Atlas. This is contemporary literature at its best!
Science Café & Workshop: Can Machine Replace Artist? With Daniel Sýkora
How does a computer "draw" a piece of art? How many pitfalls occur when it tries to "imitate" human? And why the "good old" algorithmic approach is still favoured by the industry professionals? Come and join Professor Daniel Sýkora for this insightful talk followed by an interactive workshop. Try to transfer your hand-drawn style to a more complex three-dimensional object or create your own stylized facial animation!
Forman Brothers' Theatre: Deadtown
For the first time in the UK, the sons of Oscar-winning Miloš Forman, bring a spectacular cast of 20 acrobats, dancers, singers and musicians to perform this spectacular Wild West tale. Using an extraordinary mixture of film, live action and magic they move from illusion to reality presenting the Old West in a completely new way.
