Nine Levels of Hell

drama

Typology

feature

Czech title

Devět kruhů pekla

Runtime

127

Country

Czechoslovakia, Cambodia

Copyright

1987

Production year

1987

Premiere

01.07.1988

Language version

Czech

Summary

This Czech-Cambodian romantic drama from 1987 belongs among those eighties co-productions that stemmed from cultural activities agreed with “friendly regimes” of the time. Its main character is Czech doctor Tomáš, who is searching for his lost wife Khema in 1979 Cambodia. After arriving in the exotic but troubled country in 1969, he had fallen in love with a beautiful dancer despite the will of her parents. However, the happy couple are separated amid a series of coup d'états, leaving Tomáš facing the wreckage of his previous life. The genocide waged against the Cambodian population by the Khmer Rouge government has destroyed everything he has come to know... This unexpectedly dramatic picture from director Milan Muchna (his previous filmography revelled in humour (Hop – a je tu lidoop – Monkey’s Playtime, 1978; Únos Moravanky – The Moravanka Band’s Been Kidnapped, 1983; Divoké pivo – Wild Beer, 1995...)). Milan Kňažko plays the main role, while in the retrospective scenes he is ably supported by Cambodian star Oum Sovanny.

Synopsis

The Czech physician Tomáš searches for his beautiful young wife Khema in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. He was separated from her by the dramatic events, which shattered the country four years ago. Tomáš is shocked at the sight of the ruin of the once flourishing town. - He arrived at the local hospital in 1969 to join other Czech doctors. After a while, he befriends a young dancer and falls in love with her. Khema's parents disagree with the marriage with a man originating from a different culture. Khema's brother, who studied in Paris and turned into a leftist radical there, even threatens to Tomáš. But the wedding eventually occurs and the two young people are happy together. The political conditions in Cambodia, however, change and the government is overthrown. The country faces yet another upheaval in 1975 and gets terrorized by the young Pol Pot army's soldiers. Khema is pregnant and Tomáš is worried about her. He goes to the hospital to help evacuate the patients. Back home, he does not find his wife, the house has been robbed and the parents murdered. Tomáš the foreigner is deported from the country. Now, he returns to the country where only a minority of people survived the torture and drudgery. Tomáš follows the tracks of his wife who gave birth to a daughter during the deportation. She even met her dying brother who was eventually crushed by the bloody revolution. Tomáš's hopes are not fulfilled completely because Khema died. He, however, succeeds in finding his daughter and takes her to his home country.

Note

The expert consultant Ruy Neakong Ruy is one of only fourteen survivors from the twenty thousand prisoners of the Tuol Slen camp which operated in Phnom Penh between 1975 and 1979. The Museum of Genocide was established there on the 7th of January 1980. The expert consultant Chheng Phon – the director of the Cambodian National Conservatoire and later the Cambodian minister of culture – earned credit for educating the young representatives in the national cultural traditions (theatre, music) because only a few students and ten teachers survived.

Photos

Cast

Oum Sovanny

Khema Sun

Milan Kňažko

lékař Tomáš David, Khemin manžel

Heng Chanrith

MUDr. Rath Thong

Ban Thavy

tanečnice Thyda, později učitelka

Nov Channary

Chivan, Khemin bratr

Khuon Chhum

Pon, Khemin druhý manžel

Jiří Samek

primář docent Samek

Jiří Schmitzer

MUDr. Dalibor Hrádek

Jan Schmid

anesteziolog MUDr. Kubeš

Milan Lasica

gynekolog MUDr. Kalivoda

Bronislav Poloczek

montér Emil

Saom Dorin

kapitán Kim

Chan Thy

Khemina matka

Oum Phân

Khemin otec

Květa Fialová

Klára, Tomášova matka

Duong Ratsovanna

Rany, Khemina sestra

Chuom Vannsin

Chanthan

Ouch Samol

velitel vesnice

Mê Moen

Somna

Lor Sangharith

fotograf

Ban Yan

Phana

Thach Mary

Dara

Bun Sophary

Klárka, dcera Khemy

Chan Sotheary

Soriya

posluchači konzervatoře Phnompenh

Chy Sochip

fotograf

Dubbing

Taťjana Medvecká

hlas Khemy

Petr Čepek

hlas Tomáše

Václav Kopta

hlas MUDr. Ratha Thonga

Eliška Sirová

hlas Thydy

Pavel Kříž

hlas Chivana

Bedřich Šetena

hlas docenta Samka

Jiří Zahajský

hlas kapitána Kima

Jana Vychodilová

hlas Kheminy matky

Mirko Musil

hlas Khemina otce

Miriam Chytilová

hlas Rany

Dana Syslová

hlas Phany

Lucie Nosková

hlas Dary

Crew and creators

Director

Milan Muchna

Second Unit Director

Milan Klacek, Ieu Pannasidh

Assistant Director

Chy Sochip, Chuom Vannsin, Hana Suchá, Stanislav Rovný

Screenstory

Milan Muchna

Screenplay

Milan Muchna

Shooting Script

Milan Muchna

Script Editor

Alexander Lukeš

Camera

Petr Hojda

Second Unit Photography

Rudolf Holan

Camera Operator

Milan Lekič, Sem Sary, Tralong Borin

Production Designer

Miloš Červinka, Kong Kanthara

Set Designer

Ivo Černý, Bohumil Kadlec, Uon Nék, Jan Klíma, Jiří Matějka, Karel Karas, Son Sovanvich‰t

Costume Designer

Jan Kropáček

Costumes

Marie Charvátová, Věra Mírová, Iva Bártová, Ke Vanchan, Sok Samat

Make-Up Artist

Jiří Farkaš, Milan Novák, Jitka Procházková, Kim Sokun

Film Editor

Dalibor Lipský

Sound Designer

Adolf Böhm

Production Manager

Jan Syrový, Ly Dany

Unit Production Manager

Jana Hauserová, Helena Landovská

Unit Production Manager

Václav Šeda, Nang Phanajia

Consultant

Chheng Phon, Karel Čepička, Pavel Auersperg, Jiří Skřivan, Karel Citterbart, MUDr. Dalibor Hrádek, MUDr. Hanuš Reisinger, Marcela Sainerová, Mao Ayouth, Non Chan, Ruy Neakong

Cooperation

Ruth Kubalíková, Jan Kuděla, Ivana Vlčková, Tep Somaly, Erika Vojáčková, Chloe Younly, Proum Sarmouny, Keo Narét, Long Sávat, Seng Ratha, Khek Chen, Kheiu Sary, Khan Dy, Kvan Thän, Ke Vichet, Tit Thearith, Bun Narei, Aleš Voleman