Protektor

The Czech Republic's official submission for 2010 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, <strong>PROTEKTOR</strong> is a smart, stylish psycho-thriller about a Prague journalist and his part-Jewish wife whose lives are ravaged by the outbreak of WWII. Radio reporter Emil (Marek Daniel) is married to actress Hana (Jana Plodková), a famous film star who is initially oblivious to the Nazi threat. Hana's Jewish heritage precipitates her fall from the height of her career to the bottom of the social ladder. In order to protect her, Emil compromises himself, collaborating with the new Nazi-controlled state radio station. Conditions worsen as restrictions on Jews are systematically increased. The assassination of the Third Reich Deputy Protector and a chance encounter on a bicycle bring their malingering marriage to a crisis. The retro noir style, evocative of 1930s cinema, is enhanced by gorgeous period design and an avant-garde score.