Řeky Otakara Štěrby

Otakar Sterba is a scientist, rock climber, paddler and landscape ecologist all rolled into one. He has spent most of his life studying nature; its mysteries and inner connections. Rivers of Otakar Sterba follows the life of the first ecology professor in the Czech Republic and his efforts to protect river landscapes. During his studies of various scientific disciplines, fate led him to study rivers and their biotopes. He is fascinated by the beauty, power and life of rivers. As he travels around the world, on foot or by kayak, he discovers places untouched by man, but also landscapes suffering from the consequences of people’s carelessness. He sees river realignment as the biggest river problem in the Czech Republic. But his appeals to Czech water authorities and other institutions have been in vain. Hundreds of plans suggesting how to prevent floods will, most likely, not be carried out. This documentary asks the fundamental question, whether we control nature or just think we do. (Academia Film Olomouc)