All My Compatriots


All My Compatriots, also known as All My Countrymen, Czech Vichni dob rodci is a 1968 Czechoslovak film directed by Vojtch Jasn. Considered the most Czech of his contemporary filmmakers, Jasnys style was primarily lyricist. It took nearlyyears to complete the script and it was his greatest work. The film was banned and the director went into exile rather than recant. It was entered into the 1969 Cannes Film Festival where Jasn won the award for Best Director.

1945 The first part establishes the innocence and camaraderie of a village amidst the backdrop of a postWar landscape. Children play with guns and a land mine is discovered while ploughing the fields. A group of villagers detonate it and end the night dancing and drinking in the local pub. They leave at dawn as the sun rises on a beautiful, idyllic landscape and stop to sleep beneath a tree after taking in the view.1948 It is just months after the Communists have taken power in February. Loud speakers blare propaganda and announce rations while the farmer Frantisek works. We discover that four of the main villagers have converted, namely, the organist Ocenas, the photographer Plecmera, the postman Bertin, and Zejvala. The townspeople disdain them. A landowner must vacate his land so it can become a collective his wife tearfully removes pictures of Jesus and the Virgin Mary from the walls as the landowner criticizes I hope you look after this place, your own looks like a pigsty. To which the communists respond ominously Dont worry We will show you what we can do The communists greedily inspect their winnings animals, house, a stockpile of wood and begin to loot for themselves. Meanwhile, a tailor sets up shop with his wife and the help of friends, who warn him that the communists will put an end to his good fortunes. Indeed, a group of communists come and demand he turn over the property on which he has just spent his lifes savings and lead a tailoring collective instead. ........

Source: Wikipedia


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