John Early

531 is a psychological drama, which fuses together the lives of four strangers on the edge. The setting for this head on collision takes place inside the four doors of checker cab 531.

NON PLUS ULTRAS is a comedy with a social subtext. It takes a satirical look at a short stretch in the life of five "fans" of one Prague football club who belong to the hardcore supporters - ultras or hooligans. The gang members' lives revolve around football. They revere their "world-famous" English counterparts and uncritically take them as their role models. The undeclared leader of the gang is Bejcak (played by David Novotny), a charismatic young man of around 30 years old with natural authority. He is not stupid; he likes to use foreign words, but always in a slightly unsuitable context. The oldest member of the gang is the lonely forty-year-old Tycka (Vladimir Dlouhy), whom Bejcak took under the gang's wing. Tycka is much older than the others. The stuttering youth Pejsek (Karel Zima) is a fanatic lover of all things "English". He is seconded by the none-too-bright Potapec (Michal Novotny) and the agile, wiry Vocko (Matej Hadek), who is constantly devising new loutish exploits.

Vienne, dans les années 1900. Surgit un jour le charismatique et mystérieux illusionniste Eisenheim, qui ne tarda pas à devenir l'homme le plus célèbre de la ville, l'incarnation vivante d'une magie à laquelle personne n'osait plus croire... Mais la gloire d'Eisenheim est intolérable au Prince héritier Leopold, dont la popularité décroît à mesure que grandit celle de ce showman consommé. Rationaliste convaincu, avide de pouvoir, le Prince a une raison supplémentaire de jalouser Eisenheim : ce dernier fut le grand amour de jeunesse de sa fiancée, la belle Sophie von Teschen, qui nourrit encore pour lui de très tendres sentiments. Décidé à écarter ce rival, Leopold charge son homme de confiance, l'inspecteur Uhl, d'enquêter sur l'illusionniste et de dévoiler ses impostures. Une partie serrée s'engage entre les deux hommes...

A poignant and inspirational story that tests the power of will and perseverance of a young friendship in tumultuous times.