Czech Film Center

Synopsis

Not a Chance tells the story of the recently widowed Věra, who is determined to raise her seven children
by herself and to keep them from being placed in state-run children’s homes. The resolute young mother,
however, has no inkling of the huge sum she owes in unpaid rent, for her deceased husband had handled
all their practical matters. Left to deal with it all by herself, she sees no way out. The situation is ultimately
resolved by social workers, who mercilessly relocate the entire family to a one-room council flat. And
Věra’s problems keep coming – her children are increasingly truant, her welfare payments are not enough
to cover even her children’s most basic needs, and the penalty for the outstanding rent is growing...
A young, ambitious lawyer, Ms. Slečinka, appears on the scene to help her, and is subsequently joined by
an advocate for society’s vulnerable class, Mr. Kuchta. And the story gains momentum...