The
Czech Republic's official submission for 2010 Best
Foreign Language Film Oscar, PROTEKTOR is a smart,
stylish psycho-thriller about a Prague journalist
and his part-Jewish wife whose lives are ravaged by
the outbreak of WWII. Radio reporter Emil (Marek Daniel)
is married to actress Hana (Jana Plodková), a famous
film star who is initially oblivious to the Nazi threat.
Hana's Jewish heritage precipitates her fall from
the height of her career to the bottom of the social
ladder. In order to protect her, Emil compromises
himself, collaborating with the new Nazi-controlled
state radio station. Conditions worsen as restrictions
on Jews are systematically increased. The assassination
of the Third Reich Deputy Protector and a chance encounter
on a bicycle bring their malingering marriage to a
crisis. The retro noir style, evocative of 1930s cinema,
is enhanced by gorgeous period design and an avant-garde
score.
