Anně K. Is Cold

Country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1970

Production year

1969—1970

Category

povídka

Genre

political, short-story

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Film state

partially realised project, lost film

Original title

Anně K. je zima

Czech title

Anně K. je zima

English title

Anně K. Is Cold

Working title

Návštěva povolena

Summary

Unfinished film.

Synopsis

Seventy-year-old, knocked up and worn-out Anna K. packs her bundle of things and, dressed in a skirt, sets off from her village solitude to the railway station through a snow-covered landscape. She has a long way ahead of her to meet her imprisoned son, whom she has been allowed to visit after a long time. It is cold on the train and the old woman is standing uncomfortably, too shy to grab a seat. She gets off with the mass of people transfering to the bus to Leopoldov [village with fortress which served as another prison; translator´s note]. But Anna K. changes to yet another train, with many hours´ riding ahead of her. She is gradually joined by masses of people who, like herself, are going to visit their relatives in the prison – both adults and children, both youngsters and old people. A young mother is going to show her child to his imprisoned father, who has not seen him yet. Another woman is going to visit her husband, accompanied by her lover. In Prague, they all change for the train to the end station – Jáchymov. After many hours of waiting by the prison gate, the visitors are finally allowed to enter. Anna K. is the last one to pass through the control post of documents. The man waiting for her at the other side of the table, however, is not her son. A minor mistake occurred, caused by a difference in the last names. A week ago, Anna K.´s son was transfered to the Leopoldov fortress...

Note

For the sake of utmost authenticity, the director, Drha, engaged non-actors for the majority of roles (including the leading actress) and the extras. The film was shot synchronically on 16-mm and a certain amount of improvisation was expected. Following several days of exterior work in the Beskids Mountains and shooting on the train, the crew received the aforementioned ban. The film materials are believed lost.

Cast

M. Cenknerová

Anna Koštiaková

Dagmar Bláhová

hubená dívka

František Nechyba

návštěvník

František Šeba

návštěvník

K. Boloňský

návštěvník

J. Hoftichová

návštěvnice

O. Jílek

návštěvník

M. Kočičková

návštěvnice

V. Malznerová

návštěvnice

Marta Kosinová

matka malého dítěte

V. Skřivánková

mladá paní

J. Skvřivánek

partner mladé paní

Marcela Martínková

Košťálová, žena jednoho z vězňů

V. Svoboda

muž ve vlaku

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Karel Kovář

Assistant Director

Milan Klacek, Ivana Tokošová

Based on

Zdena Škvorecká (Návštěva povolena – povídka)

Shooting Script

Vladimír Drha

Director of Photography

Jozef Ort-Šnep

Production Designer

Přemek Longa

Assistent Production Designer

Věra Líznerová

Set Designer

Karel Kočí, Bohumil Varhaník, Antonín Chloupek

Costume Designer

Jarmila Konečná

Film Editor

Miroslav Hájek

Assistant Film Editor

Jarmila Fulínová

Sound Designer

Jiří Kejř

Production Manager

Jaroslav Solnička

Unit Production Manager

Milan Štěch, František Jaderník

Unit Production Manager

Václav Polák

Cooperation

Irena Hrušková (klapka), Vladimír Souček (fotograf)

Music

Music Composed by

Jiří Šust

Music Performed by

FISYO

Locations

Praha, Beskydy

Production info

Original Title

Anně K. je zima

Czech Title

Anně K. je zima

English Title

Anně K. Is Cold

Working Title

Návštěva povolena

Category

povídka

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Film state

partially realised project, lost film

Genre

political, short-story

Origin country

Czechoslovakia

Copyright

1970

Production Year

1969—1970

Technical info

Distribution carrier

16mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,37

Colour

black & white

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech

Subtitles languages

without subtitles

Opening/End credits languages

Czech