The 2015 historical drama is set during the Cold War. Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks plays the lawyer James Donovan. The film depicts real events: the arrest of Rudolf Abel, the U-2 affair involving the pilot Powers, and the subsequent negotiations over a prisoner exchange. Tom Hanks is joined by other star actors, including Mark Rylance as Rudolf Abel, who even won an Oscar for his performance.
The dramatic style of the film, directed by Steven Spielberg, underscores crucial historical moments. The story focuses on the fates of several individuals during the Cold War, through which it portrays the major political battles between the superpowers of the time. The film thus not only tells the story of a lawyer who left a lasting mark on history through his actions, but also reveals remarkable corners of espionage and intelligence services.
At the end of the screening, viewers could test their knowledge in a game of Kahoot. The questions did not focus only on the film itself, but also on interesting facts and a broader overview of how intelligence services worked in the last century.
The moderated discussion with Professor Miroslav Mareš, a political scientist specializing in research on extremism, terrorism and security policy, offered further insights into the workings of intelligence services and espionage. It was also a chance for viewers who wanted to learn more about the topic after watching the film to ask their questions.
After the program, participants could stay on and sit together with a drink in hand at ArtBar, which we thank, as always, for providing the venue. We also thank Professor Mareš for his time, and we sincerely hope that you enjoyed not only the film but also the discussion afterwards. We look forward to seeing you at our next film experience!
A few small notes: in the Czech original, “Most špionu” in the second paragraph is a typo for “Most špiónů”, and the sentence about the discussion is missing a final period after “dotazy”. I kept the English clean of both.
