

Czechoslovakia • 1970
One of director František Vláčil’s most renowned works, this searing romantic tragedy considers questions of national trauma through a powerful human love story. In the aftermath of World War II, former soldier Viktor (Petr Čepek) is put in charge of an estate previously owned by a Nazi war criminal whose daughter, Adelheid (Emma Černá), is now forced to work there as a maid. Gradually, Viktor and Adelheid are drawn together in a complex relationship that forces them both to confront issues of power, moral responsibility, and the weight of history.
One of director František Vláčil’s most renowned works, this searing romantic tragedy considers questions of national trauma through a powerful human love story. In the aftermath of World War II, former soldier Viktor (Petr Čepek) is put in charge of an estate previously owned by a Nazi war criminal whose daughter, Adelheid (Emma Černá), is now forced to work there as a maid. Gradually, Viktor and Adelheid are drawn together in a complex relationship that forces them both to confront issues of power, moral responsibility, and the weight of history.