What is The Czech New Wave?

The Czech New Wave was a vibrant and influential film movement that emerged in Czechoslovakia in the early to mid-1960s, reaching its peak just before the Prague Spring of 1968. It is celebrated for its sharp social satire, innovative storytelling, and bold political undertones during a period of relative liberalization under communist rule. The movement took place during the 1960s, when Czechoslovakia experienced a loosening of strict Communist censorship. Filmmakers enjoyed a brief window to explore critical and experimental cinema before the Soviet-led invasion in 1968 clamped down on artistic freedoms. The New Wave was part of a wider cultural thaw in Eastern Europe.