After the break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1992, the political dissident, leader of the Velvet Revolution, playwright and essayist Václav Havel became the first president of a new country, the Czech Republic. From day one Havel allowed his friend Pavel Koutecký to accompany him and capture as much as possible. Over 13 years the crew shot 45 hours of footage and recorded 90 hours of sound. Among the events filmed are Bill Clinton’s state visit to the Czech Republic in January 1994 (including the private part of the visit) and the death and funeral of Havel’s wife, Olga. The result is Citizen Havel, a feature documentary made of previously unseen footage that offers an intimate look at a man placed in the spotlight of international politicians and celebrities, trying to keep a balance between private and public life while moving his nation from a communist past towards a free and democratic future.
