The Firemen’s Ball

Czechoslovakia 1967 / 70 min  / DCP & Blu-ray

Director: Miloš Forman / Screenplay: Jaroslav Papoušek, Miloš Forman, Ivan Passer / Director of Photography: Miroslav Ondříček / Editor: Miroslav Hájek / Music: Karel Mareš / Set Designer: Karel Černý / Cast: Jan Vostrčil, Josef Šebánek, František Debelka, Josef Řehořek, Vratislav Čermák, Václav Novotný, František Reinstein, František Paska, Josef Kolb, Olga Blechová a další

A legendary tragicomedy about a volunteer firemen’s ball in a provincial town. The film is a satire centered on a town during the communist regime and ranks among the most exquisite pieces in the family silver of Czech cinematography. Today considered a masterpiece of the Czechoslovak New Wave, at the time it was rejected by both the state film industry and (unexpectedly) foreign co-producer Carlo Ponti. The film received an Oscar nomination in the Best Foreign Film category.