Krajina ve stínu

Marie and Karel celebrate the christening of their first son. The whole village attends the exuberant celebration. Not long afterwards Hitler occupies nearby Austria and incorporates the country into Germany. Some South Bohemian villages near the border voluntarily pledge loyalty to the German Empire. The residents of Schwarzbach also have to declare their nationality. Against his wife's will Karel chooses Germany. Thus, in contrast to many neighbours, the small family survives the war reasonably unscathed. Marie in particular takes advantage of her position to repeatedly help her Czech and Jewish neighbours. In 1945 however the situation changes, as the town's Germans are subject to cruel vengeance.

In haunting black and white imagery director Bohdan Sláma tells a dramatic story of fanaticism, cowardice, resentment and revenge far beyond the end of the war, in a story inspired by real events. CF