Summer School: a film about a Czech–Vietnamese familyCEFR B1
17 Aug 2025
Adapted from Filip Noubel, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Daniel Silva, Unsplash
Summer School (Letní škola) follows a Czech‑Vietnamese family in 2001 Cheb, a town on the Czech–German border once known for street markets run by Vietnamese sellers. Those markets often operated in a gray area, selling pirated clothes, tobacco and undeclared electronics during the fast shift to a market economy after the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
The narrative is told in three parts from the point of view of the younger brother, the father and the elder son, Kien. Kien was born in the Czech Republic but spent ten years in Vietnam; he returns with spiky red hair and feels estranged from parts of his community. He becomes romantically involved with his male Czech‑language tutor, Viktor, and the film mixes Vietnamese and Czech languages.
The movie links personal stories to a longer history: the first wave of Vietnamese arrivals began in the 1960s under socialist exchange programs, and after 1989 some stayed and opened small businesses. Today a second generation, often fluent in Czech and holding Czech citizenship, is entering many professions. The director, Dužan Duong (Duong Viet Duc), born in 1991 in Vietnam and raised mainly in the Czech Republic, made the film to explore family conflicts. Scholars note that LGBTQ+ issues remain a strong taboo for many older migrants.
Difficult words
- pirate — to copy and sell works illegallypirated
- undeclared — not officially reported or registered
- market economy — economic system based on private trade
- narrative — a story or account of events
- estranged — feeling separated from a person or group
- citizenship — legal status of being a member of country
- taboo — a subject avoided for social or cultural reasons
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might growing up in two countries affect a person’s sense of identity?
- Why do you think many older migrants see LGBTQ+ issues as a taboo? Give one or two reasons.
- What are the advantages and problems of running small street markets during a big economic change?
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