Screening note: This digital screening is available to view between 12:01am PT on Friday, October 9, and 11:59pm PT on Sunday, October 18, and is available to ticket buyers and passholders within the state of California.
Questions about how to watch this film online? Click here to read about system requirements and how to watch on different devices.
What profound secrets live in the heart of a healer? Veteran Polish director Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa; Spoor, MVFF40) explores the deeply complex character of renowned Czech herbalist and healer Jan Mikolášek. A gardener’s son who committed his life to heal thousands of rich and poor patients alike beginning in the 1930s, Mikolášek refused to be called a doctor, though his plant-based treatments and dietary focus can be seen as precursors to contemporary holistic and integrative medicine. A pioneer of this field, Mikolášek was widely mocked as the “oracle of urine,” even as he cured famous figures across Europe. Weaving youthful flashbacks through the trial he endured under Communist rule in the 1950s, Holland doesn’t shy away from the myriad conflicts within Mikolášek’s soul, examining his trauma, shame, sexuality, and faith. Splitting the role of Mikolášek at different points in his life, father-son duo Ivan and Josef Trojan bring this fascinating figure to life with compassion and vitality.
Shown in collaboration with the Telluride Film Festival
Thank you to our Community Partner Frameline!