A Czech student decides to write a research paper about Milan Kundera, his country’s most famous author, and seeks to interview the famously reclusive writer. For weeks, he sits in a cafe outside Kundera’s house and meets the author’s friends and colleagues – to no avail. Kundera has refused to give interviews or appear in public for 30 years, and this time is no different.

Still, the student’s efforts weren’t in vain. The interviews with Kundera’s friends, with numerous researchers and literary figures, and others who knew Kundera yielded this serious, in-depth portrait of him. Born in Czechoslovakia in 1929, Kundera immigrated to France in 1975, garnering international success over the years. This film, which includes fascinating archival footage, focuses on the man, his writing, his wisdom and philosophy of life.