The Oscar®-winning Czech director Jan Svěrák (Kolya) once again collaborates with his scriptwriter/actor father Zdeněk for a tale of historic events seen through the eyes of a child. Based on his father’s memoir Barefoot in a Stubble (a coming-of-age story set during the waning years of WWII), the film follows eight-year-old Eda who relocates with his family from Prague to the small village of Slavonice. There he meets a host of idiosyncratic paternal relatives, including his father’s estranged elder brother, as well as a gang of rowdy local kids who allow him to join their club. Despite the constant evidence of war, Eda’s days are defined by the innocence of childhood. Though German soldiers maintain a presence in the village and Americans are flying overhead, Eda and his friends persist in their boyhood adventures. Superb acting, evocative cinematography and fine music choices make this the Svěráks’ best film since Kolya.