A Cottage on Dartmoor (Chata v Dartmooru)

A Cottage on Dartmoor is a masterpiece of late silent cinema that is considered a classic in Britain but remains relatively unknown in the Czech Republic. The story may seem banal: a barber is in love with a manicurist, but she doesn’t return his feelings and instead finds herself infatuated with a customer. Consumed by jealousy, the barber tries to slit his unwanted rival’s throat (unsuccessfully) and ends up in jail. Years later, he manages to escape and seeks forgiveness from his victims. But all potential clichés are amply redeemed by the engrossing narrative and haunting visual style, which employs inventive techniques (unconventional camera angles, close-ups, fast editing) to capture subjective states and tense moments. The film thus achieves extraordinary levels of emotional intensity. The experience at the festival will be enhanced by a live musical accompaniment by the leading cellist Terezie Kovalová.

Milan Hain