Divine Ema

Images from the life of Destinová wearing the face of Turzonovová and based on Mahler’s work. This is how Krejčík interpreted the critical years of the early 20th century. The dazzling collage of the most famous roles in the best costumes is cleverly inserted at the beginning of the narrative, one triumph succeeding another and another. Ema sings, and the opera houses love her. But she wants to go home, which ends up being fatal for her. The National Theater does not wish her well, the Prague ban happens and so does the end of the love affair. The fall of the great diva is played by Božidara with the awareness of great emotional strain and yet she does not overact. She moves very naturally in Art Nouveau gowns, in ordinary dresses, she berates and flirts, and, most importantly, she really pretends to be Beňačková. Kukura, Kopecký, and Adamira do suitable jobs in secondary roles. As if all that wasn't important. Emma's manifestation concerts in the Czech lands with Czech music are the primary thing, and thus the repertoire sounds familiar and dear to Czech culture, combined with the ideal setting in nature corresponding to the themes of Škroup, Smetana, and Dvořák. The images are focused on the symbolic frame of the face of Emma in a wide-brimmed hat, whose fall goes hand in hand with the fall of the monarchy. A powerful film, a feeling manifesto. It is comparable only to Lion with a White Mane. (2009-03-05)