Name: Citizen Havel [opening screening: Havel 90 Festival]
Start: 2026-10-02T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-10-02T20:30:00-04:00
Location: Bohemian National Hall

Citizen Havel [opening screening: Havel 90 Festival]

The Czech Center New York actively promotes Czechia by showcasing Czech culture, innovations and creativity in the US. Our program includes concerts, screenings, exhibitions, panel discussions, and other events dedicated to a vast range of areas from visual and performing arts, film, literature, and music to architecture, design, fashion, and innovations. In addition to hosting our own events, we support and collaborate with other groups dedicated to intercultural initiatives in New York and beyond.The Event organizer has the right to refuse the attendees entrance to the venue despite previous registration due to capacity and security measures. Participants must arrive on time, in case of late arrival, the organizer cannot guarantee that your registration will still be valid.

Czech Center New York

An intimate, often humorous portrait of Václav Havel’s presidency, drawn from thirteen years of unprecedented behind-the-scenes access.

Bohemian National Hall

This opening screening launches Havel 90 Festival, a four-day celebration of Václav Havel as an artist and person, and its three-day Film Marathon exploring his life and relationship with cinema.The evening begins with the rare three-minute archival film Vystoupení Václava Havla k oběti Jana Palacha (1969), directed by Sylvia Pojarová, in which Havel reflects on Jan Palach’s sacrifice. A reception with drinks will follow Citizen Havel.

Citizen Havel (Občan Havel) / dir. Pavel Koutecký and Miroslav Janek / 2008 / documentary / Czechia, USA / Czech with English subtitles / 120 min.

Beginning in the early 1990s, filmmaker Pavel Koutecký followed Václav Havel through the defining years of his presidency. He captured official ceremonies and international encounters alongside private conversations, backstage negotiations, and moments of doubt, fatigue, and humor.Rather than offering a conventional biography, Citizen Havel observes a playwright and former dissident navigating the machinery of political power. Its patient, often wry gaze reveals both the transformation of a new democracy and the strikingly human figure at its center.Koutecký filmed Havel for thirteen years but died unexpectedly in 2006 before completing the project. Miroslav Janek shaped the extensive footage into the finished documentary, which won the Czech Lion for Best Documentary and remains one of the most revealing portraits of Havel.Havel 90 Festival is organized by the Czech Center New York and the Vaclav Havel Center with support from the Bohemian Benevolent &amp; Literary Association.

DISCLAIMERTickets and Admission: Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. All ticket sales are final. Please arrive at least 10 minutes before the screening begins; latecomers may be refused admission.Media Recording Notice: By attending this event hosted by the Czech Center New York, you consent to being photographed and recorded. The Czech Center New York and its partners may use these images and recordings for promotional purposes.Health and Safety: By attending this event at the Czech Center New York, you acknowledge and accept that participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The Czech Center New York is not responsible for any illness, injury, or other health-related issues that may arise before, during, or after the event. We encourage all guests to follow current health guidelines and act responsibly for their own safety and that of others.

Citizen Havel [opening screening: Havel 90 Festival]

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Citizen Havel [opening screening: Havel 90 Festival]

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Bohemian National Hall

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