This summer, Czech cinemas will welcome a fresh perspective with Summer School, 2001 (Letní škola, 2001), the first feature film from the so-called “viet-film” generation—Czech filmmakers of Vietnamese heritage telling stories from their own community. The film, directed by Dužan Duong, promises a heartfelt, humorous, and authentic portrayal of a Vietnamese family’s life in early-2000s Czechia, seen through the eyes of those who lived it.
Set in a vibrant Cheb marketplace at the turn of the millennium, Summer School, 2001 explores themes of family, identity, and belonging, while peeling back the tarpaulin of the market stalls to reveal the hidden dynamics of a community few Czech films have depicted before.
A personal story eight years in the making
The film’s origins go back to 2017, when director Dužan Duong first began working on the story inspired by his own childhood memories. Growing up in Cheb in the early 2000s, Duong recalls the market as a place of adventure and discovery, but also as a backdrop to complex family relationships and moments of personal struggle.
“Some of my strongest memories are from my childhood in Cheb at the turn of the millennium,” Duong said. “It was a time full of fun and excitement, but also of difficult moments. That mix of feelings became the foundation for this film.”
Bringing these memories to life took time. Over eight years of development, Summer School, 2001 evolved into a fully-fledged feature, shot in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Vietnam. The result is a deeply personal debut that resonates with universal themes of generational conflict, cultural identity, and the search for acceptance.
A fresh perspective on Czech-Vietnamese life
At its heart, Summer School, 2001 tells the story of Kien, a 17-year-old boy with a striking red hairstyle, who returns to his family in Cheb after spending a decade in Vietnam. Instead of a warm homecoming, Kien faces an estranged father, an anxious mother, and a younger brother who resents his sudden reappearance.
As Kien navigates his place within the family and the bustling marketplace — juggling chores like ironing Pokémon prints onto t-shirts and awkward attempts at teenage romance — old wounds and buried secrets begin to surface. A tragic accident involving his brother forces the family to confront their strained relationships and the pressures of their community.
The film offers a unique glimpse into the Vietnamese-Czech experience, moving beyond stereotypes and giving voice to a generation often overlooked in mainstream Czech cinema. Producer Lukáš Kokeš, who recently won a Czech Lion for the documentary I’m Not Everything I Want to Be, has been involved since the project’s inception.
“It’s funny — Dužan and I first crossed paths back in 2013, when we made a short film for Czech Television about young Vietnamese Czechs who didn’t see their future in convenience stores or nail salons,” Kokeš recalls.
“Ever since then, I’ve been waiting for a film that would finally tell these stories from the inside. Letní škola, 2001 opens the door to an authentic world that most of us can’t even imagine, simply because no one has told these stories before. That’s about to change.”
Produced by nutprodukce and AZN kru, with support from Czech Television, Biofilms, Magiclab, and Slovak production partner Jakub Viktorín, the film received backing from the Czech Audiovisual Fund, the Slovak Audiovisual Fund, the Plzeň Region, and the Czech Ministry of Culture.
This collaborative effort reflects a growing interest in broadening the scope of Czech cinema, not only in terms of storytelling but also in representation. Summer School, 2001 will be distributed by Aerofilms and premieres in Czech cinemas from July 24, 2025.
