{mosimage}Havel began shooting Leaving on 2 July 2010, a month later than the previously announced June 2010 start date. Havel rejected media speculation that he would step aside due to his long-lasting illness.

"I'm okay and ready for filming. I'm really looking forward my directing debut," Havel said in press announcement in that time.

Leaving is based on Havel´s last stage play, well-known not only in the Czech Republic, but also staged in Britain, Poland, Denmark and the United States. Production company BUC-Film (http://www.bucfilm.cz/) and producer Jaroslav Bouček announced the film's budget at CZK 45 million (1.8 million euros).

Havel´s wife Dagmar Havlová and esteemed Czech actor Josef Abrhám play the main characters, a retiring chancellor and his mistress. The cast also includes actress Vlasta Chramostová, who appeared in the stage play, Eva Holubová and Jiří Macháček. The music was composed by Michal Pavlíček.

Leaving is Havel's first play since 1989 and was first produced at Prague's avant-garde Archa Theatre two years ago. The script references King Lear and Anton Chekhov's Cherry Orchard and deals with the topic of loss of power.

However, in Czech cinemas, Leaving never became a smash hit. Only 41,000 people have seen the movie in the 11 weeks since its release, with sales of CZK 4.3 million (comparing to the latest Czech coproduction, war drama Lidice by director Petr Nikolaev and producer Adam Dvořák from Bioscop company (http://www.bioscop.cz/), which attract 50,000 people during the first weekend, earning more than CZK 5.3 million).

Production contact:

BUC-FILM s.r.o.

Jaroslav Bouček
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
adress: ČS.ARMÁDY 405/8
160 00 PRAGUE 6

Tel: +420 251 819 441
+420 251 815 257
Fax: +420 267 073 516

SPONSORED by Moscow International Film Festival
http://www.moscowfilmfestival.ru/