Havel begins shooting film version of stage play ‘Leaving’

Former Czech president Václav Havel will begin filming an adaptation of his play ‘Leaving’ on Thursday. Shooting will take place over two months in the east Bohemian town of Česká Skalice, around 160 kilometers north-east of Prague. Mr Havel is making his debut as a film director at the age of 73. ‘Leaving’ was Havel’s first play after a 20-year gap and made its stage debut in 2008. It recounts the story of a chancellor who quits power and enters the political wilderness accompanied by a large dose of cynicism. Havel’s wife, Dagmar, will have a major acting role in the new film.