Shadows of a Hot Summer

František Vláčil, 1977

Film at Filmový přehled

Summary

It’s been two years since the Second World War ended. But the Czechoslovak border area is still not safe, as farmer Ondřej Baran (Juraj Kukura), who farms a remote homestead with his wife Tereza (Marta Vančurová) and two children, will find out. A band of vandals want to shoot their way through their land to get to Austria, and they choose Baran’s farmhouse as a hideout. The family and the local doctor are taken hostage by five men with murderous intentions, and the stoic protagonist must come up with a way of protecting his loved ones. This ballad-like take from the Beskid Mountains was directed by František Vláčil, based on an idea and script by Jiří Křižan, who returned to the “Eastern”, or “Wallachian Western” genre in the film Je třeba zabít Sekala (Sekal Has to Die). Zdeněk Liška’s music amplifies the slowly tightening plot loops and suffocating atmosphere. Amongst other awards, the film won the Crystal Globe at the 21st IFF in Karlovy Vary in 1978.

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Film data

About a film

Production year 1977
Countries Czechoslovakia
Categories film
Genres drama, thriller
Form feature
Duration 100 min
Director František Vláčil
Cast Juraj Kukura, Marta Vančurová, Gustáv Valach, Robert Lischke, Karel Chromík
Director of photography Ivan Šlapeta
Screenplay Jiří Křižan
Editor Miroslav Hájek
Production designer Oldřich Okáč
Music Zdeněk Liška
Sound designer František Fabián