''Sitting on a Branch, Enjoying Myself'' () is a 1989 Czechoslovak-West German

comedy-drama film Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, illness, betrayal, grief, etc. ...

directed by

Juraj Jakubisko Juraj Jakubisko (30 April 1938 – 24 February 2023) was a Slovak film director. He directed fifteen feature films, between 1967 and 2008. He often took on the dual role of cinematographer in his films, as well as writing or co-writing the scrip ...

. It was entered into the main competition at the

46th Venice International Film Festival The 46th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 4 to 15 September 1989. Soviet actor and filmmaker Andrei Smirnov was the Jury President of the main competition. The Golden Lion winner was ''A City of Sadness'' directed by Hou ...

Synopsis

A tragi-comedy about the end of World War II and the roll call of the communist regime. With this background you have a part-dream sequence story of the two main characters coming back from the war - comedian Pepe and front line soldier Prengel that become best friends after discovering gold together. By coincidence these two meet Ester who is coming back from a concentration camp and now love enters the story with this melancholic Jewish girl. Three homeless people are trying to fulfill their idea of happiness. They chose the wrong time period. The monstrosity of the 1950s is represented by a fanatic young communist, Želmíra, who turns their world upside-down.

Cast

Bolek Polívka Boleslav Polívka (born 31 July 1949, in Vizovice) is a Czech film and theatre actor, mime, playwright, and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 40 films. Career Polívka first started appearing in films in the 1960s. He graduated from ...

- Pepe *

Ondřej Pavelka Ondřej () is a Czech given name, equivalent to Andrew, Andreas etc. Notable people with the name include: Sports *Ondřej Bank (born 1980), Czech alpine skier * Ondřej Buchtela (1999–2020), Czech ice hockey player *Ondřej Čelůstka (born 19 ...

- Prengel *

Deana Horváthová Deana Jakubisková (née Horváthová, born 11 March 1958) is a Slovak film producer and a former stage and film actress. Biography Deana Jakubisková was born on 11 March 1958 in Banská Bystrica. She studied acting at the Academy of Perfor ...

- Želmíra *

Štefan Kvietik Štefan Kvietik (10 May 1934 – 21 March 2025) was a Slovak actor and politician. Early life Kvietik was born on 10 May 1934 in the village Dolné Plachtince, First Czechoslovak Republic, Czechoslovakia. As a child, he planned to study medi ...

- kapitán Kornet *

Markéta Hrubešová Markéta is a feminine Czech given name, equivalent to English Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English ...

- Ester *

Miroslav Macháček Miroslav Macháček (May 8, 1922 – February 17, 1991) was a Czech theatre director and actor. Life and career Macháček was born in Nymburk. His father was a car painter and a custodian of (and sometimes actor and director in) the theater in ...

- Krištofík

Film Awards

* Cran Gavier´99 1999
• Prize for the best film *

Moscow International Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (, Transliteration, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is a film festival first held in Moscow in 1935 and became regular since 1959. From its inception to ...

1990
• Grand Prize * Festival of Czechoslovak film 1990
• Special Jury Prize * IFF Stasbourg 1990
•Le Prix du Jury and the Alsace Media de Strasbourg Prize *

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

1989
• Certificate of Merit RAI II

References

External links

* Czechoslovak comedy-drama films Slovak comedy-drama films West German films 1980s Czech-language films Slovak-language films 1989 comedy-drama films 1989 films Films directed by Juraj Jakubisko German comedy-drama films 1980s German films Czech-language comedy-drama films {{1980s-comedy-drama-film-stub