Slovo

Notary Václav leads a happy life together with his impulsive wife Vera, who is as resolute as she is loyal, and their two children. He advises customers on questions of inheritance and has an ability to defuse conflicts with his level-headed manner. And yet, in the summer of 1968, even in the Czech provinces the authoritarian conquerors of Dubček's failed "socialism with a human face" now sense they have the upper hand. The local party bigwigs want to force Václav into the party, and thus the legal professional has to fear for his job. By concentrating fully on the psyche of its protagonist, this drama depicts how the political pressure of real socialism could affect the life of a morally upright citizen: The hero's conflicts are reflected in his face, which the camera captures in frequent close-ups. For his role as Václav, Martin Finger quite rightly received the award for best actor at this year's Karlovy Vary Film Festival, whilst director Beata Parkanová succeeds in creating a coherent portrayal of marriage and social norms at a time when gender roles were clearly defined and the family became a place of retreat against external pressure. The love between Václav and Vera proves to be a solid bond; despite all their differences of character.

Text: Kira Taszman

English: Peter Rickerby

Stadthalle: Original version with English subtitles + German simultaneous translation.

Weltspiegel Saal 2: Original version with English subtitles