Parle-moi de toi - René

The unique film cycle Řekni mi něco o sobě was started in the spring of 1989 by director H. Třeštíková. Utilizing her exceptional method in which she follows the subjects over a period of time, Třeštíková focuses on the youth correctional facility in Libkovice. The material was shot over a period of two to five years and captures not only the changes in the lives of the protagonists, but also transformations of the whole society.René has been in prison since he was 16. While in custody, he and several others attempted a riot, which extended his sentence. We met him in Libkovice shortly before his eighteenth birthday. René is sick of life and doesn’t care about his parents (just as René’s parents never cared about him when he was a child); he doesn’t even know how many more children they had. After the general amnesty, René just hangs around, not satisfied in any job, and with his younger brother he starts stealing. In no time he is back in prison, this time joined by his brother who is still a youth. History repeats itself and René’s life philosophy seems to be confirmed: You enjoy your freedom for a while, then go to prison and the same thing happens all over again. The film is framed by René’s letters to the director. The last one, sent from prison, includes René’s apology for having burgled her flat during his last brief stay out of prison.