Byeway

The final film about an unfinished road. The D8 highway was meant to link Prague with Germany, but for years it has divided not only the protected landscape of the Central Bohemian Highlands, but also public opinion. Environmental activists warn of the project’s illegality and ecological risks, while local residents endure an endless stream of trucks passing beneath their windows. Ivo Bystřičan’s documentary follows the state’s futile efforts to complete the last few kilometres and asks what happens when authorities fail to follow their own laws. Visually striking shots of the landscape and Wagner’s powerful music frame this story of absurdity and everyday frustration.