Ivan Matulík

A family saga taking place mostly in a small Slovak village over a period of thirty years (1887–1917). The first part captures the life of Martin Pichandu in the development of his craft, masonry; in the second part, his son is center stage living in a period of socio-political crisis, which ultimately results in the first World War. After originally airing on Czechoslovakian television in 1983 as a four-part 226-minute mini-series, this production received a 163-minute theatrical release in 1984.

A story of a family that after WWII moved to the south of Slovakia and acquired a prosperous butcher business left behind by a Hungarian emigrant. From the previous owner, the family also inherited a self-assured, greedy assistant who does not like to observe any firm moral principles. He assists the family in gaining wealth but in the long run, he causes the family's moral dissolution. In his most successful feature film, director Zoro Záhon combined a complex drama with excellent acting performances, especially that of Hungarian actor Gábor Koncz in the lead role.

The tragicomedy of a man who, by inappropriately attending the wedding of his subordinate, wants to demonstrate humanistic thinking in a society that is not ripe for such ideas. However, it turns out that even for him humanism is just a declared empty concept, serving to gain popularity. His whole democratization "mission" results in a farce, for which, out of offended vanity, he takes merciless revenge on his subordinates and on the whole environment...

Even a top athlete, a discus thrower, faces difficulties when she has to consider her future. She seems to lack nothing: the socialist physical education provides her with all the necessary facilities to prepare for the Olympics, she trusts a responsible coach. However, when she returns to her hometown, she still considers whether she made the right decision. When she becomes pregnant, she finds herself at a crucial moment.

A sociological drama with a detective plot taking place in the period of industry and agriculture collectivization of the 1950s. Peter Lánik, a young lawyer, during a trial finds out that whom he thought to be his father is in fact only his stepfather. Little by little he learns about the tragic life of his parents as well as about the dramatical atmosphere of the forced cooperativization of village farms.

This is the story of last years of Leo Tolstoy's life at his mansion in Yasnaya Polyana. He is surrounded by his family, friends, acquaintances and absolute strangers who are coming to the great man and artist from all over the world. But in his sleepless nights he dreams about his happy youthful years and the crucial, hard ones. And everything ends with his tragic departure from Yasnaya Polyana and his death at an obscure little station of Astapovo.

An unconventionally seen story from the period of the Slovak National Uprising will especially interest you with the character of the village lad and brawler Vince Kucek, played by Ivan Romančík. Hours and hours spent in the pub, riots with friends, scenes of jealousy towards his old rival Petr Chuťek, now a partisan commander, hostile memories of the strict teacher Machoň – all this fills the seemingly carefree days of the self-confident farmer, father of two small children, husband of the faithful, devoted Eva. However, the situation in the village is getting worse. Some of the men go to fight in the mountains, but the stubborn Kucek refuses to go with them.

Ten short unrelated stories that move chronologically through Slovakia's twentieth-century history as seen from the perspective of life in small towns and villages.

The story is based on the situation in the housing estates, where parties of children who don't know how to spend their free time proliferate.

A psychological story of a young woman who, after two failed marriages, finds the strength to fight for her independence and lost self-confidence. After Ondrej's death and the disappointment of her second relationship, she returns to Ondrej's parents with her son to start working and living again.

The series depicts the history of Slovak society in the first decades of our century and leaves a deep faith in humanity and the nation. It tells the life story of Pavlínka, the daughter of a laborer and innkeeper, whose fate is filled with love, social ambitions, and unfulfilled dreams, and who ultimately returns to the basics of life, to naturalness and wisdom.