When the War Comes: Why do Czech Nationalists Love Russia?
- Where: Václav Havel Library, Ostrovní 13, Prague 110 00
- When: December 3, 2018, 19:00 – 21:00
Screening of the documentary When the War Comes by Jan Gebert (CR, Croatia, 76 min., 2018) followed by a debate involving journalist Josef Pazderka, and journalist Ivana Svobodová (Respekt weekly), who will moderate the evening.
The debate is intended to highlight the similarity in the worldviews of Central European nationalists and the regimes that inspire them – Novorossiya and Russia. Are organisations such as the Slovak Recruits similar to paramilitary units in Donbas? What is the appeal of Putin’s model of government to Central European nationalists? Does Russia provide ideological or even material support to Central European nationalists?
When the War Comes: At first glance, Petr’s life resembles that of a regular European teenager. He lives with his parents, has a girlfriend and has won a place at university. But his real life is elsewhere – at the head of the militia group Slovak Recruits, who include 200 young people and have branches throughout Slovakia. In mountain forests they are subjected to strict rules and punishments more reminiscent of playing at dictatorship than military training. The militia’s leader believes his model of organisation has a future. He is prepared to set aside his uniform one day and share his vision with the entire society – by becoming a major politician.
Organised by the Václav Havel Library in cooperation with PINK, BontonFilm and KineDok.