Marie Málková

Prague, Czechoslovakia, during the inter-war period. Jan Dítě, a young and clever waiter who wants to become a millionaire, comes to the conclusion that to achieve his ambitious goal he must be diligent, listen and observe as much as he can, be always discreet and use what he learns to his own advantage; but the turbulent tides of history will continually stand in his way.

The story is freely inspired by the life and work of Jan Saudek, who is probably the most well-known Czech photographer internationally and has indisputably been involved in the development of international photography. He has exhibited and sold his work in the largest galleries and art houses, he has earned international recognition and awards, he enjoys great popularity and interest - he is a true phenomenon.

Three families, three festive stories. Uninvited guests, new love, and a quest for the perfect winter. 'A Christmas Story' weaves humor and holiday spirit into a heartwarming journey through the ups and downs of the season.

Commissioner Vašátko meets painter Horác while on vacation at a mountain cabin. A diverse group of guests has gathered here, ruled over by the aggressive and arrogant director Skorkovský, who humiliates and abuses his son with nonsensical orders. Horác takes this very badly, as do the others—but they are somehow indebted to the director. The tension in the cottage gradually increases, and the director is found dead. The police cannot get to the cottage because of a storm, so the experienced Commissioner Vašátko takes charge of the investigation. The cottage is full of people who have strong motives for murder...

On the night it happened, Aleš Berka was celebrating his 50th birthday. A successful, mature man at the peak of his powers. Congratulations, gifts, a happy mistress, a healthy son. The fact that one of the guests had an accident at an intersection on his way home from the party was just a minor blemish on an otherwise perfect evening. The local underworld boss, Radek Máša, immediately called Aleš and asked him to cover up the accident, as always. The district police chief, Aleš Berka, promised to do so, as always. But in the morning, he learned that Marta, the girl who was driving the car, was lying in agony in the hospital and that she was the love of his son Ríša. Ríša believes unconditionally that his father, the district police chief, will do everything in his power to find and punish the culprit of the traffic accident who fled the scene...

Young married couple Hana and Dan form a chamber duo. They are young and have their whole lives ahead of them. She sings and he accompanies her on the piano. Hana wins a prestigious competition and immediately attracts interest, or rather, interest in both of them. The agency sends them to concerts all over the country. Some places are great, others terrible. But above all, they have to travel quickly before they are pushed out by winners of other competitions. And Dan and Hana travel and play and are happy. And then one night, on the way back, it all ends. A moment of inattention, a drunk man stumbles along a forest road. Hana stops, Dan finds out that the man is alive, everything is fine. Or is it?

Finding the body of the regional politician Karas, killed in the spirit of medieval torture and carefully arranged in a strange scene, unleash police hunt for a sadistic perpetrator. He puts investigation team in the way of a complex series of murders that shake the local region and criminologists themselves.