Athens International Film Festival
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The Firemen’s Ball

The firemen in a small Czech town are feverishly preparing for their annual ball, where the former fire department director is scheduled receive an honorary award for his contribution. But even their best efforts are not enough to save them from embarrassment, as the prizes for the customary lottery disappear one by one, the Miss Fire- Department beauty contest candidates are neither willing nor particularly beautiful and a fire ends up wreaking havoc all over town.

The firemen in a small Czech town are feverishly preparing for their annual ball, where the former fire department director is scheduled receive an honorary award for his contribution. But even their best efforts are not enough to save them from embarrassment, as the prizes for the customary lottery disappear one by one, the Miss Fire- Department beauty contest candidates are neither willing nor particularly beautiful and a fire ends up wreaking havoc all over town. One of the most memorable movies of the Czech New Wave, this delirious satire of human incompetence was considered a poorly concealed attack against the Czechoslovakian government, leading the communist authorities to ban screenings across the country. Nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1969, the "Firemen’s Ball" is presented in a newly restored print courtesy of the Athens International Film Festival, straight after its world premiere at Karlovy Vary. Th.P.


the firemen's ball / φωτιά...πυροσβέστες - trailer από NyxtesPremieras

Original title: Hoří, Má Panenko!

Σκηνοθεσία / Director: Milos Forman

Σενάριο / Screenwriters: Milos Forman, Jaroslav Papousek, Ivan Passer, Václav Sasek

Φωτογραφία / DoP: Miroslav Ondrícek

Μουσική / Music: Karel Mares

Μοντάζ / Editor: Miroslav Hájek

Ηθοποιοί / Principal Cast: Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebánek, Frantisek Reinstein, Frantisek Paska, Ladislav Adam

Τσεχοσλοβακία, Ιταλία / Czechoslovakia, Italy

1967

Εγχρωμο / Color

71'

Τσέχικα / Czech

* Screened on September 30th



    Publication date: 2012-09-13 12:10:00

    Sweet Smell of Success

    Sweet Smell of Success

    After a long and brilliant career in traditional English comedy, Alexander Mackendrick decided to move to the States in 1957 in order to make his US debut. Having enjoyed commercial and critical success with films like "The Man in the White Suit" and "The Ladykillers", the Scottish director came face to face with his most bitter filmmaking experience, as the deeply amoral "Sweet Smell of Success" only met with distaste by audience and critics alike.