Way Out

Young Romany Žaneta lives in a prefab housing block with her partner David, their daughter, and Žaneta’s younger sister. Her mother died years ago and her destitute father is unlikely to find another job after ten years without work. The young couple hope to find employment themselves, but their options are limited, as are the intellectual horizons of the personnel at the local authorities. Without resorting to idealisation or gratuitous sensationalism, the film examines issues of social exclusion, presenting numerous contexts of which stereotypical or outright racist individuals know nothing. This is the story of a strong woman who is quite capable of looking after herself and her family, nevertheless, her unenviable situation is exacerbated by a neverending series of obstacles. This sober look at the protagonists’ predicament gives us an insight into the current social climate while also touching upon universal issues. Where do the limits of ordinary human support and solidarity begin and end? The Way Out was the first Czech film to be screened at Cannes in sixteen years.