The Period of Examinations
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1990Production year
1990Premiere
1 September 1990Runtime
87 minDirector
Zdeněk TroškaCategory
filmGenre
psychologicalTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Zkouškové obdobíCzech title
Zkouškové obdobíEnglish title
The Period of ExaminationsSummary
With this surprisingly modest motion picture director Zdeněk Troška broke off from his promising run of comedy productions. Between the making of the first and second sequels to his Slunce seno jahody (Sun, Hay and Strawberries, 1983) film – which he shot in 1989 and 1991, respectively – he took a sideways step to film a drama screenplay by Pavel Škapík. Its narrative responded to the contemporary events surrounding the 1989 Velvet Revolution. The character relationships story was actually already under development before the social upheaval began; it was quickly updated and enhanced with motifs reflecting the ongoing changes in society. The main protagonist of the picture is student Petr Soukup (Petr Strejček), who is actively involved in a student picket. Since he is originally from Karlovy Vary, he is tasked with garnering support at schools in the spa city. However, Petr’s attention is rather absorbed in his relationships with students Zuzana (Jana Krausová) and Martina (Yvetta Blanarovičová) as well as by the plight of a friend – single mother Jiřina who is making ends meet by working as a prostitute. Popular rock and pop singer Lucie Bílá delivers a focused performance in the role of the single mother.
Synopsis
Petr Soukup, a student, does not feel like going to Karlovy Vary to celebrate his father's promotion to senior consultant of the local hospital. Petr has a lover in Prague. It is an elderly piano player named Zuzana who lives with her husband, a homosexual called Jiří. At home, Petr has a quarrel with his father because he does not respect him for his conformism. He visits his friend Jiřina, a prostitute who does not take care of her little son Martínek. Petr, however, likes the boy and Martínek becomes attached to him, too. It is November 1989, the outbreak of the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Petr thus quickly returns to Prague and joins a student's strike, replacing a student Martina printing leaflets. He then makes love to her and begins to date the girl, who forces him to break up with Zuzana. He is appointed to agitate in the Karlovy Vary schools. After his return to Prague, he is accompanied by the little Martínek to the railway station and the boy begs him to read his letter. But Petr forgets. He catches Martina making love to another student and returns to Zuzana with whom he discusses her husband's homosexual orientation several times. Petr also witnesses an "adultery" of Jiří's partner but Jiří understands it with hindsight. Petr learns during his next visit to Karlovy Vary that Jiřina poisoned herself as well as Martínek. He feels guilty for the boy's death and his distress results in his gastric ulcer bursting. He is admitted to a hospital, but runs away after the surgery and attends a rehearsal of a local orchestra where Zuzana also performs. But the pianist is consumed by her playing and does not realize the student's presence. Petr leaves in disappointment.
Photos
Cast
Petr Strejček
student Petr Soukup
Yvetta Blanarovičová
Martina Matějková
Jana Krausová
klavíristka Zuzana Kupecká, Petrova milenka
Lucie Bílá
Jiřina, Petrova kamarádka
Václav Stulík
Martin, Jiřinin synek
Václav Stanislav
Vláďa Kotlařík, Petrův spolubydlící
Tomáš Malina
Jarouš, Petrův spolubydlící
Jan Novotný
Jirka, Zuzanin manžel
Michal Dlouhý
student zvaný Biceps
Břetislav Slováček
primář Soukup, Petrův otec
Eva Lecchiová
Soukupová, Petrova matka
Rudolf Kubík
Dan, Jirkův milenec
Venuše Humheyová
Matějková, matka Martiny
Petr Burian
Ing. Matějka, otec Martiny
MUDr. Jiří Jedlička
lékař
Jan Černý (2)
člen stávkového výboru
Tomáš Barák
člen stávkového výboru
Zuzana Púčiková
dívka u xeroxu
Kamila Roubalová
studentka Ilona
Markéta Pechačová
Káča
Radek Kříž
Honza
Tereza Bazgerová
Janička, dcera Zuzany
Zuzana Jedličková
lékařka
Marcel Kučera
mladý lékař
Eva Tauchenová
dohazovačka prostitutek
Jana Šedová
sousedka Jiřiny
Miloslav Janíček
dirigent
Adam Viktora
hudebník
Eva Viktorová
profesorka
Jaroslav Beníšek
Jana Bergerová
Petra Čechová
Zbyněk Černý
Robert Gažo
Marie Chřibková
Ingrid Jánská
Eva Kolenská
Antonín Kořenek
Ota Kovařík
Vladislav Nos
Věra Stieberová
František Špaček
Hana Večeřová
Daniela Veselská
Vladimír Voborník
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Jiří Moravčík, Ivana Adamovská
Screenstory
Screenplay
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Set Designer
Bohumil Kadlec, Jan Klíma, Martin Tlamicha
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Petr Čermák, Roman Molnár
Cooperation
Pavlína Volrábová (klapka), Miloš Schmiedberger (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Ludwig van Beethoven (Klavírní koncert č. 4), Ludwig van Beethoven (Klavírní koncert č. 5), Ludwig van Beethoven (Symfonie č. 7 A dur), Ludwig van Beethoven (Sonáta pro klavír es moll)
Music Performed by
Orchestr F.O.K. (Music Conducted by Václav Smetáček), Západočeský symfonický orchestr Mariánské Lázně (Music Conducted by Miloslav Janíček), Česká filharmonie (Music Conducted by Václav Neumann), Jan Panenka (2), Zdeněk Troška, Adam Viktora, FISYO (Music Conducted by Jan Frank)
Music Supervisor
Songs
Vždycky jsem to já
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Miroslav Černý
Singer Dalibor Janda
Dva roky prázdnin
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Zdeněk Borovec
Singer Iveta Bartošová
Málo mě zná
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Ladislav Štaidl
Singer Iveta Bartošová
Hydromaniak
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Writer of Lyrics Miroslav Černý
Singer Michal Penk
Wonderland /Pábitelé/
Song Composer Ladislav Štaidl
Production info
Original Title
Zkouškové období
Czech Title
Zkouškové období
English Title
The Period of Examinations
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
psychological
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1990
Production Year
1990
Production specifications
withdrawal from distribution 31 May 1993
Premiere
premiere 1 September 1990 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
6. tvůrčí skupina, Jan Vild (vedoucí 6. tvůrčí skupiny), Milana Melcerová (vedoucí produkce 6. tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
87 min
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
