Fetters (Pouta)

The first collaboration between screenwriter Jan Procházka and director Karel Kachyňa resulted in the film Fetters, which in its title suggests the dilemmas of the protagonist, veterinarian Klimes, who finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he choose a well-paid job in a slaughterhouse and life alongside a wife used to luxury, with whom he does not get along? Or will he return to his love from the past, now an active functionary, and help sick animals in collectivized socialist agriculture? The rainy night scenery in which much of the film takes place underlines the film’s sombre mood. The transitions between the luxurious villa and the muddy roads and barns in which the characters move create an interesting contrast. A major asset of the film is the remarkable performance of Radovan Lukavský in the lead role. Fetters hinted at the potential that the creative duo has yet to develop and perfect in their future collaborations.

Veronika Zýková

Screening in Czech without subtitles.