In the Shadow (2012)

Director:

David Ondrícek

Writers:

David Ondrícek (writer)
Marek Epstein
(more)

Release Date:

August 2012 (Czech Republic)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

In the former Czechoslovakia, 1950s, police captain Hakl investigates a jewelery robbery. An opened safe deposit leads to a known burglar...

Awards:

11 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Ivan Trojan	...	Hakl
Sebastian Koch	...	Zenke
Sona Norisová	...	Jitka
Jirí Stepnicka	...	Pánek
David Svehlík	...	Beno
Marek Taclík	...	Bares
Filip Antonio	...	Tom
Martin Mysicka	...	Jílek
Miroslav Krobot	...	Kirsch
Halka Tresnáková	...	Tlumocnice
Simona Babcáková	...	Zena z výzkumáku
Krystof Mucha	...	Víta
Jaroslav Achab Haidler	...	Hubner
Richard Stanke	...	Velitel STB
Norbert Lichý	...	Janata
Magdalena Zimová	...	Sekretárka
Hynek Cermák	...	Karlos
Ales Najbrt	...	Kunc
Tomás Bambusek	...	Foll
Jaroslava Adamová	...	Bárová
Ondrej Malý	...	Prokurátor
Klára Pollertová	...	Zena v sanitce (as Klára Pollertová-Trojanová)
Sergej Raiter	...	Plukovník Morozov
Václav Neuzil	...	Ridic
Martha Issová	...	Kvetinárka
Martin Hofmann	...	Balistik
David Máj	...	Doktor
Jaroslava Pokorná	...	Bufetárka
Jakub Zácek	...	Doktor v márnici
Lukás Príkazký	...	Agent STB (as Lukás Príkazský)
Tomás Tobola	...	Agent STB
Jan Spanbauer	...	Ridic sanitky
Adam Kubista	...	Voják
Jan Mazák	...	Ruský Agent
Jan Novotný	...	Soudce
Jan Santroch	...	Reportér u soudu
Karel Dobrý	...	Muz z rozhlasu
Jaroslav Plesl	...	Hlas reportéra u soudu
Marek Daniel	...	Hlas ministra financí
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Boguslaw Bury
Markéta Frösslová
Michal Hofbauer		(as Michael Hofbauer)
Mariana Issa
Tomás Jerábek
Kamila Kalousová
Eva Kratochvílová
Adam Kraus
Aneta Krípalová
Nella Krípalová
Marie Ludvíková
Stepánka Ludvíková
Rudolf Ondrícek
Igor Orozovic
Aleksander Pindal
Robert Senki
Jan Slovák
Milan Sticha
Justin Svoboda
Mujdat Sönmez
Alexandra Vondrácková

Directed by
David Ondrícek

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Marek Epstein
David Ondrícek		writer
Misha Votruba		writer

Produced by
Ehud Bleiberg	....	producer
Pavel Cechak	....	line producer
Leon Edery	....	co-producer
Moshe Edery	....	co-producer
Agnieszka Janowska	....	co-producer
Krystof Mucha	....	producer
Jacek Naglowski	....	co-producer
David Ondrícek	....	producer
Patrik Pass	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Jan P. Muchow
Michal Novinski

Cinematography by
Adam Sikora

Film Editing by
Michal Lánsky

Casting by
Pertra Oujezdska
Petra Svarinska

Production Design by
Jan Vlasák

Costume Design by
Jarmila Konecná

Makeup Department
Lukas Kral	....	key makeup artist (as Lukas Kraal)

Production Management
Siwek Anna	....	post-production manager
Nicholas Donnermeyer	....	production executive: US
Kristyna Klozarova	....	unit manager
Melanie Kollar	....	production executive: US
Pawel Kosun	....	production manager: Poland
Lukasz Poninski	....	studio executive: Alvernia Studios
Daria Spackova	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Petr Kaderabek	....	first assistant director
Vlastimil Kaderabek	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Marcel Hana	....	property master
Stanislav Luksan	....	props
Stefan Mily	....	props
Vojtech Ruzicka	....	props

Sound Department
Jakub Cech	....	sound designer
Juraj Mravec	....	foley supervisor
Michaela Patríková	....	foley editor
Pavel Rejholec	....	supervising sound editor
Petra Spoulová	....	boom operator
David Titera	....	sound effects editor
Andrea Veselková	....	foley artist

Stunts
Jan Holicek	....	stunts
Jindrich Klaus	....	stunt player
Ladislav Lahoda	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Pawel Cichocki	....	gaffer
Dariusz Grodzki	....	best boy
Henryk Jedynak	....	focus puller
Martin Maryska	....	b camera focus puller
Martin Nahodil	....	video operator
Rafal Paradowski	....	camera operator
Jan Rehanzl	....	key grip
Martin Stepánek	....	b camera operator
Magdalene Symonowicz	....	clapper/loader

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Petra Barochová	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Glen Castinho	....	digital film colorist: Alvernia Studios
Glen Castinho	....	digital intermediate supervisor: Alvernia Studios
Weronika Kolodziej	....	conforming assistant: Alvernia Studios
Weronika Kolodziej	....	data wrangler: Alvernia Studios
Piotr Krasny	....	scanning
Patrik Pass	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Adam Klemens	....	conductor
Adam Klemens	....	orchestrator
Petr Pycha	....	orchestra contractor

Transportation Department
Lada Vacik	....	driver: camera truck

Other crew
Vera Homolacova	....	script supervisor
Jan Jurkovic	....	location manager
Kristyna Klozarova	....	production coordinator
Daniela Papikova	....	production assistant
Michal Piss	....	production coordinator: Poland
Gabina Svejdova	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Bleiberg Entertainment
• Barrandov Studios
• Centrala
• Lucky Man Films
• RWE
• Trigon Productions
• United King Films

Distributors

• Falcon (2012) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Alvernia Studios  post-production facilities
• Czech Film Fund  funding
• Eurimages Council of Europe  supported by
• Polish Film Institute  funding

Also Known As:

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

Czech Republic | Slovakia | Poland

Language:

Czech | Polish | German

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Lódz, Lódzkie, Poland

Company:

Bleiberg Entertainment

Trivia:

The official entry of Czech Republic to the Best Foreign Language Film at the 85th Academy Awards 2013.

All of the characters are tough, bitter, or hardened like the most typical roles found in a dark film noir.

Set in the '50s in Czechoslovakia, an overweight safecracker gives himself away to a keen detective who notices sweat drops at the site of a robbery. There's also a sheath-like item left at the scene, which the police leader and his associate joke about – it's a clue, but what could it be for? Storing jewels? A knife? Measuring rice? Captain Jarda Hakl (Ivan Trojan) recognizes the accessory and visits a thug for some answers – which leads him to the location of renowned burglar Kirsch (Miroslav Krobot), whose room at the Jewish Community Centre conceals the stolen jewelry from the heist. But Hakl learns that Kirsch spent the night in the alcohol ward of a psychiatric clinic. Clearly, he's been set up – and the reasons for the trickery become more devious when German cop Major Zenke (Sebastian Koch) of State Security takes over due to political wheeling and dealing, the nearing promotion of Hakl's boss Panek (Jirí Stepnicka), and a supposed history with Jewish smugglers supporting Zionist terrorists.

The case is solved in a day and the newspaper headlines make Jarda appear as a genius detective. But he knows there's more to the case, especially when his superiors and State Security want him to stop investigating. Although monetary reform plagues the Czech Republic, striking fear in the hearts of everyone, Hakl continues to go about his work diligently, with the political turmoil being forgotten in the background. It's evident that his son Tom and his wife Jitka (Sona Norisová) are merely nuisances and responsibilities that occasionally interfere with his undying mission. The next day, the post office is robbed, resulting in several deaths, including that of Vilem Foll, a killer known as "The Butcher." Hakl proceeds with the case, utilizing his various connections and resources to go behind Zenke's back. The ballistics expert, Vita Novak (Krystof Mucha), informs him that the bullets used in the post office shooting match weapons issued only to State Security, and not Janata, a notorious criminal that Zenke pins the crime to – and whose body is later discovered mutilated by a train.

There's a mystery, conspiracy, and cover-up afoot, and everyone is intent on forcing Jarda out of the way. "In the Shadow" is wholeheartedly a film noir, going to great lengths to fit the part in style, cinematography, lighting, and minute details. Everyone is dressed like classic gangsters, sporting devilish black coupes, trenchcoats over suits and ties, leather gloves, and fedoras that intercept sparse illuminations of faces. The film definitely lives up to its name, casting immersive shadows on almost everything, sometimes making it difficult to decipher different characters. At one point, the electricity even goes out in Jarda's house, despite having little effect on the clarity of the scene. The ceaseless music chimes in too, as if to say calamitous events are always looming. And frequently they are, with Hakl's family being targeted for harm to persuade the captain to drop the ascertaining of clues.

Everyone seems to be hiding something; and as in many thrillers involving cops, corruption of those in power is inevitable. Actions are submerged in ulterior motives and hidden intentions - even roles with nothing to conceal struggle to veil their emotions and concerns. All of the characters are also tough, bitter, or hardened like the most typical roles found in a dark film noir - riddled with antiheroes brimming with distrust and paranoia. This lends to solitary sleuthing and the realization that justice must be pursued by the unafraid or it will be manufactured by the most influential. This theme causes the resolution to be bleak, tragic, and less affecting, detracting from the initial notion of unraveling a circuitous mystery worth solving.

- The Massie Twins (GoneWithTheTwins.com)