Summary
The fate of an adolescent girl whose life was affected by serious parental neglect was the inspiration for Jaromíra Kolárová’s novel and this film adaptation bearing the same name. In this intimate family drama, director Jiří Svoboda remained true to his formally effective style, which somewhat pushes the actual dramatic fate of the 13-year-old heroine into the background. At school little Vendula is considered to be backward; but in fact she has taken over from her alcoholic mother, caring for her three younger half-siblings. Evelyna Steimarová excels in the role of the unhappy woman addicted to alcohol in this 1980 drama. After Čekání na déšť (Waiting for the Rain, 1978), Karel Kachyňa secured the part of the heavily tested heroine for the young Dita Kaplanová, giving her another opportunity to deliver a deeply heartfelt performance.
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