Toman
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Ondřej Trojan (Zelary) presents a fascinating historical drama revolving around the real-life figure of Zdeněk Toman, a Jewish high-ranking official in post-war Czechoslovakia who ran the secret police, helped the communist party to seize power, became a political prisoner, managed to escape to Venezuela and became a financial donor to Israel.
Toman is the classic anti-hero -he headed up the state security office yet became the first high-ranking communist official to be jailed and condemned to death in 1949. In spite of that, he managed to help transport Eastern European Jews to safety after World War II before vanishing into exile. Toman was awarded for his activities in the USA and Israel, and was officially rehabilitated after 1989.
Nominated for 13 Czech Lions (Czech Academy Awards) including Best Picture of the Year!
Directed by Ondřej Trojan
Czech Republic, 2018
Drama
Czech, English (with English subtitles)
144 minutes