Zelary (2003)

Director:

Ondrej Trojan

Writers:

Kveta Legátová (novel) and
Petr Jarchovský (writer)

Release Date:

4 September 2003 (Czech Republic)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

A nurse and her surgeon-lover are part of a resistance movement in 1940s Czechoslovakia. When they are discovered...

Plot Keywords:

Resistance Movement | 1940s | Czechoslovakia | Runaway | Miscarriage

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Anna Geislerová	...	Eliska / Hana
György Cserhalmi	...	Joza
Jaroslava Adamová	...	Lucka
Miroslav Donutil	...	Priest
Jaroslav Dusek	...	Teacher Tkác
Iva Bittová	...	Zena
Ivan Trojan	...	Richard
Jan Hrusínský	...	Slávek
Anna Vertelárová	...	Helenka
Tomás Zatecka	...	Lipka
Ondrej Koval	...	Michal Kutina
Tatiana Vajdová	...	Anna Kutinová
Frantisek Velecký	...	Old Kutina
Viera Pavlíková	...	Old Kutinová
Juraj Hrcka	...	Vojta Juriga

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and some sexual content.

Runtime:

Czech Republic:150 min | USA:150 min | Canada:142 min (Ontario) | Argentina:150 min

Country:

Czech Republic | Slovakia | Austria

Language:

Czech | Russian | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (self applied) | Czech Republic:U | Slovakia:12 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Malá Fatra, Slovakia

Company:

ALEF Film & Media Group

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hana and Joza go to visit his mother's grave she is wearing a different dress as they return home.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Moon

Even better for the second time

When I originally wrote this comment, I predicted Zelary are on their way to Oscar for the best foreign motion picture of 2003. As we now know, this prediction was wrong. Nothwithstanding that, I have to say that when I saw this movie for the second time on Czech TV on 1 January 2006 I have absolutely no reason to change a word in my below comment. Perhaps the strongest 10/10s I have ever given.

I may be a little bit biased observer, since I am Czech local, but there are many great Czech films. The problem is that a vast majority of them are not understandable to international audience because they deal with specific Czech matters and the storytelling is primarily aimed at Czech audience. Then they are few that avoid this trap and may be interesting and appealing to movie viewers across the globe. Zelary definitely pertain to the latter group.

It happened by coincidence that I have seen two great movies somehow connected with World War II in a very short time. First was the Pianist a brilliant work of Roman Polanski, second is Zelary. Although may not seem so at first sight these two movies have a lot in common. The similarity lies in the basis of the story and in the way the story is told. Both these movies successfully try to portray awful times of World War II through a human destiny. They tell a story about human whose life was broke into pieces by war. Pianist Szpilman must have been hiding for several years, the main character of Zelary, Hana, must disappear from the city and attention of Gestapo to rural mountain forgotten area. Both survive, Hana in addition finds a new life.

But enough of comparisons, Zelary are also distinguished for wonderful cinematography, perfect music and excellent acting of the recent top-class Czech and Hungarian actors. If this movie ever comes near you either to the movie theater or on DVD or video, it is definitely worth while. 10/10