SPRING OF LIFE (PRAMEN ZIVOTA – DER LEBENSBORN) International Competition

An emotional and artistic tour de force, SPRING OF LIFE is the moving story of a young woman caught in the gears of the Third Reich’s machine.

During the winter of 1938, young, blond Czech women are brought to the Isolde estate to be impregnated by SS officers, as part of the “Lebensborn project.” Sixteen-year-old Gretka arrives at the recently expropriated Jewish estate, where she meets Leo, the only family member left behind, who is hiding in fear. They fall in love, and the consummation of their passion serves as a silent victory to the Aryan baby factory.

Aided by the subtle, powerful words of screenwriter Vladimir Korner and the hauntingly innocent portrayal of Gretka by Monika Hilmeova, director Milan Ciesler has created an unforgettable film depicting staggering hope in the face of insurmountable conditions.