Empties
Encyclopedia
Empties is a 2007 film
directed by Jan Svěrák
and written by his father Zdeněk Svěrák
. Svěrák also stars in the film. It was released first in the Czech Republic
in March 2007. The film is a comedy
from the same team which made Kolya
.
who cannot control his anger when his pupils misbehave in his poetry class. He quits his job and despite his wife urging him to retire, becomes a cycle courier. After the inevitable accident, he still refuses to stay at home and takes a job in the local Žižkov
supermarket. He works behind a counter, taking the used glass beer bottles and empty plastic water bottles, giving a receipt to the customers which they can redeem at the cashier. He begins to flirt with the customers and matchmake both for an old friend and for the man he works with. His own flirtations (and amusingly lurid dreams) almost get him into trouble with his wife, so he resolves to reignite the passion in his marriage by celebrating his wedding anniversary with a hot air balloon ride. As can be expected, things do not go completely to plan.
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
directed by Jan Svěrák
Jan Sverák
Jan Svěrák is a Czech film director. He is the son of screenwriter and actor Zdeněk Svěrák. He studied documentary filmmaking at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague...
and written by his father Zdeněk Svěrák
Zdenek Sverák
Zdeněk Svěrák is a Czech actor, humorist and scriptwriter. He is one of the most popular Czech cultural personalities. In 1989, he was a member of the jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival....
. Svěrák also stars in the film. It was released first in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
in March 2007. The film is a comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
from the same team which made Kolya
Kolya
Kolya is a 1996 Czech film drama about a man whose life is reshaped in an unexpected way. The film was directed by Jan Svěrák and stars his father Zdeněk Svěrák who also wrote the script from a story by Pavel Taussig.- Synopsis :...
.
Plot
Josef Tkaloun is a teacher at a high school in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
who cannot control his anger when his pupils misbehave in his poetry class. He quits his job and despite his wife urging him to retire, becomes a cycle courier. After the inevitable accident, he still refuses to stay at home and takes a job in the local Žižkov
Žižkov
Žižkov is a cadastral district of Prague, Czech Republic. Most of Žižkov lies in the municipal and administrative district of Prague 3, except for very small parts which are in Prague 8 and Prague 10. Prior to 1922, Žižkov was an independent city....
supermarket. He works behind a counter, taking the used glass beer bottles and empty plastic water bottles, giving a receipt to the customers which they can redeem at the cashier. He begins to flirt with the customers and matchmake both for an old friend and for the man he works with. His own flirtations (and amusingly lurid dreams) almost get him into trouble with his wife, so he resolves to reignite the passion in his marriage by celebrating his wedding anniversary with a hot air balloon ride. As can be expected, things do not go completely to plan.
Cast
- Zdeněk SvěrákZdenek SverákZdeněk Svěrák is a Czech actor, humorist and scriptwriter. He is one of the most popular Czech cultural personalities. In 1989, he was a member of the jury at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival....
as Josef Tkaloun - Tatiana VilhelmováTatiana VilhelmováTatiana Čecháková-Vilhelmová is a Czech actress.She is 5 ft 3 in tall. As a kid she took lessons in ballet for 9 years, she was a member of well-renowned Kühn's Children Choir...
as Helenka, his daughter - Daniela KolářováDaniela Kolárová- Film :* Kawasaki's Rose * Vratné lahve … Eliška* Tmavomodrý svět … Haniččina matka* Oběti a vrazi … matka* Cesta z města … matka Markéty* V erbu lvice … Anežka...
as Eliška Tkalounová - Jiří Macháček as Landa, his friend
Awards
- Zdeněk Svěrák received a Special Jury Mention for the screenplay at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2007
- The film received the Audience Award at 2007 Ljubljana International Film FestivalLjubljana International Film FestivalThe Ljubljana International Film Festival is an international film festival established in 1990 and held annually in Ljubljana, Slovenia....
- The film received the Gold Dolphin award for Best Film at the Festroia International Film FestivalFestroia International Film FestivalThe Festróia Festival Internacional de Cinema de Tróia is an annual film festival that takes place in Setúbal, Portugal since 1985.The festival's competitive section is open to films from countries producing less than 30 features per year...
in 2008.