Synopsis:
Eighty Letters is autobiographically based. The source of the film are theme mories of the director and the surviving correspondence between his parents. The story takes place in Czechoslovakia in 1987. The father has defected to England and the mother and her son are planning to leave the country to be reunited with him. Husband, wife, child – even at a distance they are still together, but the forced break-up of any family is an abnormal situation. The events of the film are viewed from the boy’s perspective, the exasperated gaze of one lacking experience, his initiation in the course of this single day - the film.  It is the day when the youth gets a glimpse of adult hood and overcomes fear. His mother’s movements are part of an intensified daily routine, as she maps it out hour by hour. It is a battlefield situation for her. She is on her way, her son catches up with her on that path, but she must act alone if they are to achieve completeness together.

Director: Václav Kadrnka
Screenwriter: Jiří Soukup, Václav Kadrnka
Director of Photography: Braňo Pažitka
Set Designer: Zdeněk Eliáš
Editor: Pavel Kolaja
Sound designer: Jan Čeněk
Producer: Václav Kadrnka
Featuring: Zuzana Lapčíková, Martin Pavluš
Type of film: Feature, Drama
Running time: 75 minutes
Format: 35mm
Originally shot on: 16mm
Screening ratio: 1:1,85
Sound: Dolby Digital

Festivals:
Berlinale, Germany (Berlin), 10.-20.2.2011, Forum,
Nomination for the Best First Feature Film

Febiofest, Czech Republic (Prague), 24.3.-1.4.2011,
International Competition of Feature Films
Crossing Europe Film festival, Austria (Linz), 12.-17.4.2011, International Competition of FeatureFilms
FinalePilsen 2011, Czech Rebublic (Pilsen), 17.-23.4.2011,
Competition of Czech FeatureFilms, Winner of „The Golden King fisher Award for the Best Feature Film“
Cinema on theborder, Czech Republic(Cieszyn), 28.4.-3.5.2011
Copenhagen Film Festivals, Denmark (Copenhagen), 15.4.-1.5.2011,
It Came From the East
Cannes Film Festival – Market Screening, Francie (Cannes), 16.5.2011
Zlín Film Festival, Czech Republic (Zlín), 29.5.-5.6.2011, International Competition of European First Films
Art Film Fest, Slovakia (Trencianske Teplice), 17.-25.6.2011,
International Competition of Feature Films
International Film Festival Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
(Karlovy Vary), 1.-9.7.2011, Selection of Best Czech Films
Era New Horizons IFF, Poland (Wroclaw), 21.-31.7.2011, Panorama - films awarded at international film festivals, made by both renowned directors and newly discovered talents
Summer Film School, Czech Republic (Uherské Hradiště), 22.-31.7.2011
4Elements, Slovakia (BanskaStiavnica), 11.-14.8.2011
Film Festival „Třinecké filmové babí léto“, Czech Republic (Trinec), 21.-25.9.2011, International Competition, Winner Golden Debut
Ostrava Kamera Oko, Czech Republic (Ostrava), 23.9.-2.10.2011
Nüremberg International  Human Rights Film Festival,
Germany (Nürnberg), 28.9-5.10. 2011, International Competition
The Vancouver International Film Festival, Canada (Vancouver),
29.9-14.10.2011
International Film Festival „Ve znamení ryby“,
Czech Republic (Olomouc), 29.9.-2.10.2011
CinEast Film Festival, Luxembourg, 5.-23.10.2011,
International Competition
International Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, Turkey (Antalya), 9.-14.10.2011, Thematics creening programme
Viareggio Europa Cinema, Italy (Viareggio), 10.-16.10.2011, International Competition
Czech Centres Bucharest, Romania (Bucharest), 21.-23.10.2011,
Czech Art Films
Exposed Film Festival, Germany (Köln), 2.-6.11.2011,
European First Films
Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Greece (Thessaloniki),
4 -13.11. 2011, International Competition, Winner Silver Alexander -
The Grand Jury Award, Winner FIPRESCI Award
European Film Festival-Cinedays, Macedonia (Skopje),11.-18.11.2011,  International Competition, Winner  SILVER STAR  for the best director, Winner for the best male performance for Martin Pavluš
Scanorama, Lithuania (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda), 11.-22.11.2011,
Special Programme Crossing Europe
Festival de cine de Gijón, Spain (Gijón), 18.-26.11.2011,
Competitive Section Rellumnes
Denver Film Festival, USA (Denver), 2.-13.11.2011,
Section Contemporary World Cinema, American Premier
Ïstambul Film Festival, Turkey (Istambul), 2.-17.4.2011,
Young Masters section
BAFICI, Argentina (Buenos Aires), 6.-17.4.2011,  Album familiar section

Reviews:
„Kadrnka´s portrait of an oppressive system crushing its
subjects to the point they only dream of escaping it is crystal clear“
Dan Fainaru - Screen daily
„perfect reduction“
Ralf Schenk - Berliner-zeitung
„75 minutes of perfection“
POSITIF - Revue mensuelle de cinéma
„remarkably mature masterpiece“
Thomas Rothschild-Titel-magazin
„a little masterpiece“
NilsFortmann - Negativ-film
„a prayerfor a missingfather“
Petr Fischer - Lidové noviny
„letters, silence and noise“
Stanislav Ulver – Film a Doba