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English Titles D

Damned, The

Original title: Zatracení
Czech Republic, 2002

Director: Svátek, Dan
Production company: Whisconti
Co-producers: Ceská Televize, Holiday Films
Age recommendation: 14 years and up

Synopsis:
The story begins at the airport in Bandung, an abstract town somewhere in South-East Asia, where the Czech guide Tomás Egermaier witnesses the arrest of twenty-one-year-old Patrik. When he returns to the Czech Republic, he learns that he attempted to smuggle four kilograms of heroin out of Bandung. Tomás‘ surprise gets bigger when he discovers a bag with five video cassettes at the airport in Prague. On them we follow the story of Patrik, his girlfriend Elena and her mother Michaela from the start of their holiday till after the arrest. We follow them from Prague, across Amsterdam and to Bandung, where Michaela’s friend, a Nigerian businessman named Mike, invited them. On video we follow Patrik through a strange situation in which he is forced to smuggle narcotics. The last video is from the airport. Concurrently with the video story, we follow the story of Patrik in a Bandung prison and then Tomás‘ activities, when he decides to find out on his own how everything came about.

With the help of an associate, he slowly learns what led to Patrik’s arrest. The last threads of the arrest story are delivered by Patrik, who Tomás meets in prison. Tomás returns to the Czech Republic and we follow the fate of Patrik in the prison Bon-Wong - his hardships and his lone struggle for survival, but also of his friendships with some convicts and people "on the other side".

This film does not glorify drug smuggling. On the contrary - it is a warning for those who want to make money the "easy way". (Festival Catalogue Zlin 2003)

Festivals:
Zlin 2003

Sold to:
Falcon a.s. (CZ)