Bitter Autumn with a Mango Fragrance

Country

Czechoslovakia, India, Switzerland

Copyright

1983

Production year

1983

Premiere

1 May 1984

Runtime

130 min

Category

film

Genre

psychological

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Hořký podzim s vůní manga

Czech title

Hořký podzim s vůní manga

English title

Bitter Autumn with a Mango Fragrance

Parallel title

Bitter Autumn with a Scent of Mango

Summary

A collaborative project involving Czech, Indian and Swiss filmmakers, this 1983 film was unusually expensive for its time. It narrates the story of a Czech filmmaker who is making a documentary about statesman and first Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964). Nehru once visited Czechoslovakia and warned its politicians about the implications of the Munich Agreement. The fictional director Anna Hettlová discovers a photograph that leads her to a man who has vainly tried to convince Nehru to negotiate with the Nazis… In addition to this dramatic investigation, the film’s heroine experiences a personal dilemma involving her estranged husband and her handsome Indian colleague, a film director named Raj. The lead role in this political-educational drama directed by Jiří Sequens was performed by Jana Šulcová. The socialist-era audiences were also treated to rarely viewed, exotic locations such as Delhi, the Himalayas and even Paris.

Synopsis

A Czech film director, Anna Hertlová, is shooting a film in India. The film commemorates the life of Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964), the Indian politician, philosopher and humanist. In 1938, during times of impending fascism, Nehru visited Europe, including Czechoslovakia and he warned about the future consequences of the traitorous Munich Agreement. Anna gets bad news from home - her husband Tomᚠwrites her that he wants a divorce. She gets support from her colleagues in the crew and from her Indian co-worker and guide, Radž, who is evidently enchanted by this fine-looking emancipated woman. Anna receives a stone from an old man, Nehru's friend, which the well- known Indian brought from the spring of the Ganga river. In Prague, Anna learns that her nine year old daughter, Bohunka, is with her mother and that her husband has a mistress. Despite that, she agrees to her husband's wish to live together again. On a little known picture from Munich in 1938, there is a young man in a Nazi uniform standing behind Nehru. This young man lives today in Switzerland and gives an interview to the film makers. He reveals that he invited Nehru, without success, to a meeting with top Nazi leaders. Shortly after the film shooting in the Alps, Anna is badly injured in a car accident and becomes paralysed. She will likely be in a wheelchair for ever. Her husband leaves her again. Anna takes perseverant exercise and, after some time, is able to stand and decides to get divorced. She flies to India to finish her film and, regretfully, refuses to remain there with Rádž.

Cast

Jana Šulcová

režisérka Anna Hertlová

Amrit Pál

Voice by Eduard Cupák
indický režisér Rádž Sharma

Petr Haničinec

zvukař Petr Hrouzek zvaný Pižďa

Oldřich Navrátil

kameraman Honza Kroutil

Jan Kanyza

produkční Láďa Kořínek

Svatopluk Matyáš

Ing. Tomáš Hertl, Annin manžel

Naďa Konvalinková

rehabilitační sestra Jindra

Jana Páleníčková

Bohunka, dcera Hertlových

Harindranath Čattopádhjáj

Voice by Ota Sklenčka
Rádžův dědeček

Serge Relsky

Voice by Jiří Pleskot
bývalý důstojník abwehru

Jaroslav Radimecký

Voice by Jiří Holý
starý redaktor

Marek Vašut

Švéd Sjöll Bengston

Vlastislav Kubec

Švéd Arne Petersson, Anin spolupac

Michal Gučík

Švéd Erik

Miloslava Kykalová

Ivonne

Monika Hladová

Anne-Marie

Stanislava Polívková

blondýna

Josef Grundza

hudebník

Luděk Rýva

hudebník

Ladislav Taragoš

hudebník

Jan Šuster

taxikář

Zdeněk Zelenka

muž v lanovce

Šabnam Rubíja

Dubbing

Miroslav Doležal

hlas předčítající slova Džaváharlála Nehrúa

Crew and creators

Second Unit Director

Zdeněk Zelenka

Assistant Director

Petr Hartl

Continuity

Eva Kubesová

Screenstory

Jiří Sequens

Screenplay

Jiří Sequens

Director of Photography

Emil Sirotek st.

Second Unit Photography

Karel Dobřichovský

Camera Operator

Milan Kopecký

Production Designer

Oldřich Okáč

Assistent Production Designer

Michael Poledník

Costume Designer

Svatava Sophová

Film Editor

Petr Sitár

Sound Designer

Karel Jaroš

Production Manager

Jan Šuster, Arun Šroff, A.S. Gatewal

Unit Production Manager

Miloslav Doležal, Jaroslav Bouček, Zuzana Kovaříková, J.L. Malhotra, Jakúb Sajjíd

Unit Production Manager

Jana Příkaská

Consultant

PhDr. Miloslav Krása, dr. Vladimír Kříž

Cooperation

Jana Pokorná (klapka), Jan Kuděla (fotograf), Jiří Mikeťuk, P. A. Abhichandani, Néhrúův památník Nové Dillí, Ministerstvo obrany Indie, Archeologická inspekce Indie, Turistické středisko Jammu, Turistické středisko Kashmir

Music

Music Composed by

Miloš Štědroň

Selected Music

Bedřich Smetana (Má vlast /Vltava/)

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

A já su synek z Polanky

Singer Petr HaničinecOldřich NavrátilJan Kanyza

Happy Birthday to You

Singer sbor

Production info

Original Title

Hořký podzim s vůní manga

Czech Title

Hořký podzim s vůní manga

English Title

Bitter Autumn with a Mango Fragrance

Parallel Title

Bitter Autumn with a Scent of Mango

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

psychological

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, India, Switzerland

Copyright

1983

Production Year

1983

Premiere

premiere 1 May 1984 /suitable for youths/

Creative Group

2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupina, Josef Císař (vedoucí 2. dramaturgicko-výrobní skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

130 min

Original length in metres

3 718 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 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

Awards

Vítěz

Event: 14. ročník čtenářské ankety týdeníku Květy, Československé televize a Ústřední půjčovny filmů

1985
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Jana Šulcová

Vítěz

Festival: 11. mezinárodní festival zdravotnických filmů a filmů Červeného kříže Varna

1985
Varna / Bulgaria

Vítěz

Festival: 11. festival zdravotnických filmů Podbořany

1984
Podbořany / Czechoslovakia

Vítěz

Festival: 22. festival československých filmů Banská Bystrica

1984
Banská Bystrica / Czechoslovakia
Jiří Sequens