The talented Mr Havel
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Former Czech president Václav Havel, who was swept to power by the country's 1989 Velvet Revolution, has had many professions in his life – poet, playwright, dissident, revolutionary, president, and author. Now, at the tender age of 73, he is adding a new string to his bow – film director.
Mr Havel is currently fulfilling a lifelong dream as he tries out the director's chair to oversee the making of a big-screen version of his latest play Leaving.
The filming is taking place on location at a remote stately home in the Czech countryside near Česká Skalice and the cast features many of the former president's favourite actors, including his wife Dagmar Havlova.
The storyline crosses over into semi-autobiographical territory, revolving as it does around a politician who trying to adjust to a new life after leaving politics. But Mr Havel wryly told reporters that in some ways he feels he has more power at his fingertips in his new role than than he did as head of state.
“I’ve been quite surprised at how quick and smooth everything is. I come up with an idea on the set, I tell the person standing next to me about it, and the next day - we’re filming it. It certainly wasn’t like that when I was president,” he noted.
Filming is scheduled to finish in late August, which means that some time next year curious cinema-goers should get the chance to find out if the famously multi-talented former dissident has succeeded in mastering yet another trade.
