A detailed probe into the rehearsal process of the theatre production of I, Feuerbach, based on the play by successful German playwright Tankred Dorst, presents Ivan Řezáč in the leading role of an aging master of acting. This documentary about the preparation of a production based on the principle of theatre on the stage uses filmic means to explore the meaning of the art of theatre and, in the civilian conversations among members of the ensemble outside their roles, reveals that even the actors themselves often grope for the meaning of their profession. In the process, the sometimes humorous and sometimes critical moments during the preparation of a theatrical piece reveal the many pitfalls of collective work in contemporary society.
Based on real characters and events, this haunting drama focuses on the personal sacrifice of a Prague history student, Jan Palach, who set himself on fire in protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1969. Dagmar Burešová, a young female lawyer, became part of his legacy by defending Jan's family in a trial against the communist government, a regime which tried to dishonour Palach’s sacrifice, a heroic action for the freedom of Czechoslovakia.
