The View from the Rooftops & The Gambler

The View from the Rooftops

Elena is a young woman in 1990s Prague, where life has changed dramatically from the fear and repression of the Cold War era

She sees only the good in life and takes things at face value

So when her grandfather disappears one morning, she does the very things her mother would not: talks to strangers, asks around, and even goes to the police

Meanwhile, Anton, Elena s grandfather, is facing some awkward questions in the US Embassy...

The Gambler

In Communist Russia, even feted musicians have to watch their step

Alexei is persuaded, against the better judgement of his wife, to leave the West and return to the motherland

He misses his home country, the people, even beetroot soup

But once Alexei has returned, Irina s misgivings worsen and it is clear that nothing has changed

Under pressure to conform, Alexei cannot stop saying what he thinks, at precisely the wrong moment, with dire consequences for those around him

And ultimately, himself