Up and Down / Horem pádem (Czech Republic, 2004)

Goran and Milan are criminals who, while ferrying a truckload of illegal aliens into the Czech Republic, discover that one of their cargo has misplaced a baby; looking to turn a profit wherever they can, they sell the lost child to Lubos and Eman, two petty thieves who run a black-market adoption agency. Among Lubos and Eman's clients are Miluska and Frantisek, a barren and lonely couple who are unable to adopt due to Frantisek's criminal record, which amounts to a bout of drunken foolishness during a soccer game. Meanwhile, Martin is a Czech expatriate living in Australia who comes home for a visit following the death of his father, who abandoned the family before Martin was born. Circumstances prove not to be especially welcoming for Martin; his mother, who has become poisoned with racial hatred, invites two guests for his homecoming dinner, a half-sister he's never met and her mother, who was once Martin's girlfriend.
Up and Down is a mix of drama and black comedy, with a fair amount of social commentary stirred in. The film also exposes many of the failures of the Czech system. Exploitation of the weak is encouraged and "reform" is more of a concept than a reality. When someone like Frantisek truly wants to change, he finds the task to be nearly insurmountable. Frantisek may want to become a decent, productive member of society, but he has been labelled as a soccer hooligan, and he may ultimately have no choice but to play that part.

Awards:
Czech Lion 2004 (Best Director, Actress in a Leading Role, Film, Screenplay, Film Poster)
IFF Cottbus 2004 (Dialog Award)