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For decades one of the country’s top movie stars, Anna Geislerová has recently won plaudits for her role as Václav Havel’s wife Olga in the biopic Havel. The film depicts the future president’s struggles in the dissent under the Communist regime as well as bringing to life Havel’s sometimes unconventional relationship with Olga. I spoke to Geislerová about playing Olga Havlová, her own encounters with the Havels and far more at our studio last week.

Lukáš Houdek is a Czech artist, a leading figure in the Hate Free Culture initiative, and an openly gay campaigner for LGBTQ rights. During Prague Pride week we met up to talk about his work, which has taken him from excluded localities in the Czech Republic to Ghana or, most recently, the Republic of South Africa. I began by asking him what led him to get involved in the field of human rights.

An exhibition of artists who have responded to some kind of political oppression in their work is currently underway at the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Entitled Artists as Activists, it showcases the works of internationally recognized contemporary artists, including Ai Weiwei, Tania Bruguera or Malik Sajad. The Czech Republic is represented by David Černý.

The 46th annual Summer Film School in Uherské Hradiště, one of the country’s most highly respected film festivals, kicked off in the south Moravian town on Friday. Over the course of six days, it will feature dozens of films, both classics and new releases, as well as concerts and debates.

Tourism was, unsurprisingly, one of hardest hit sectors when the Czech Republic’s borders were shut during the country’s coronavirus lockdown. Figures released on Friday have confirmed the worst. In the second quarter visitors were down 83 percent nationally – and no less than 94 percent in Prague.

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, will arrive in Prague next Tuesday as part of a short tour of the region. The following day Mr. Pompeo will hold talks with the Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, that are expected to touch on trade and security issues, including China.

The Czech Republic has sent humanitarian aid and an urban search and rescue team to Lebanon, following the massive explosion that devastated Beirut on Tuesday. The 40-member rescue team is on the ground helping to search for survivors and will remain in the city for as long as it is needed.

With regional and Senate elections due at the start of October, politicians have agreed on a means of allowing the thousands of people likely to be in quarantine at the time to cast their ballot. The proposed amendment to the law, which is to be approved in a state of legislative emergency, will allow three alternative forms of voting.

A new arrangement of the famous 15th century Hussite choral Ktož jsú boží bojovníci or Ye Who Are Warriors of God is currently being put together by over a hundred musicians from all around the world to mark the 600th anniversary of the medieval town of Tábor. I discussed the project with its initiator Miroslav Váňa, who works as a music producer at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Twenty-eight people died and 55 were injured on Czech railways during the first month of the summer holidays. July saw a total of 135 accidents, incidents or near-collisions, which is an increase by one third on the previous month and the highest number recorded in a single month in at least five years. The number of train accidents on level crossing increased as well.