Agnieszka Holland’s Burning Bush

Burning Bush is a Czech miniseries that digs deep into the aftermath of Jan Palach’s self-immolation, an event that’s not as widely known outside Eastern Europe as it should be. It’s all about the human and political ripples that followed his act of protest against the Soviet occupation in 1969. The story orbits around a lawyer who tries to defend Palach’s memory from a government smear campaign—so it’s got legal drama, personal stakes, and that heavy historical weight.

One thing I really appreciated was how grounded and immediate it feels. Amsterdam-born Tatiana Pauhofová is especially strong as Dagmar Burešová, the lawyer; she brings both resilience and vulnerability, steering the whole show with quiet conviction. Unlike the usual big, sweeping biopic style, it’s a lot more up-close and personal. Most of the scenes take place in cramped offices, apartments, or gray, chilly streets, so you really get a sense of the pressure and paranoia that defined that era.

The cinematography stands out for balancing period detail without feeling overwrought or romanticized—lots of dark, smokey interiors and newsprint hues that fit the melancholy mood. Holland doesn’t try to glam up the material, and it’s all the better for it. Even though it’s relatively slow-burning at times, the tension keeps rising steadily, especially as the stakes for Dagmar and her family grow.

If there’s a downside, it’s that some of the secondary characters feel a bit underdrawn, and the pacing can drag a little if you’re not already invested in the history or the subject. The series also assumes you have some context about Prague Spring, but honestly, its emotional core still comes across. It’s uncompromising and sometimes dour, but in a way that suits the subject.

You would enjoy this if you liked things like The Lives of Others or are curious about European history beyond the “big Hollywood events,” or even if you just enjoy smart legal dramas with a conscience. It’s not flashy, but it’s moving, and gives you a lot to think about after the credits roll.