My Sweet Little Village

My Sweet Little Village (Czech: Vesničko má středisková) is a 1985 Czechoslovak film directed by Jiří Menzel. In 1987 it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.[1]

My Sweet Little Village
Theatrical release poster
CzechVesničko má středisková
Directed byJiří Menzel
Produced byZbyněk Hloch
Written byZdeněk Svěrák
StarringJános Bán
Marián Labuda
Rudolf Hrušínský
Petr Čepek
Libuše Šafránková
Jan Hartl
Music byJiří Šust
CinematographyJaromír Šofr
Edited byJiří Brožek
Distributed byÚstřední půjčovna filmů
Release date
  • 1985 (1985)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryCzechoslovakia
LanguageCzech

Plot

The film's main storyline follows the life of Otík, a mentally backward young man, in a tight-knit village community. The sweet-tempered Otík works as an assistant truck driver with Mr. Pávek, his older colleague and practical-minded neighbor. Pávek's family takes care of Otík, whose parents are dead. However, the two coworkers become at odds over Otík's inability to perform even the simplest tasks. Pávek demands that Otík be transferred to assist another driver, who happens to be a choleric and suspicious man named Turek. Rather than work with Turek, Otík decides to accept an offer of employment in Prague, but finds he does not fit into the city life. After discovering that the transfer of Otík to Prague was a trick by a crooked politician to get a deal on Otík's large inherited house, Pávek agrees to give Otík a second chance and retrieves him from the city to resume their work together.

The film also follows several subplots, such as, the secret romance of Turek's wife with a young veterinarian, the tribulations of an accident-prone but respected doctor who has almost as much trouble with his pessimistic patients as he does with his car, and the desperate deeds of Pávek's teenage son, who has ardent feelings for an attractive local teacher.

Cast

Reception

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia the movie retains a cult following. The movie gained favorable reviews from movie critics, with Roger Ebert awarding the movie 3 and a half stars out of 4. "In My Sweet Little Village, (Menzel) discovers some of the same gentle, ironic humor that Forman found in The Fireman's Ball. He uses everyday life as an instrument for a subtle attack on bureaucracy and a cheerful assertion of human nature. This movie is joyful from beginning to end - a small treasure, but a real one."[2]

Production

The film was made on location in the village of Krecovice, Stredoceský, Czech Republic. With some scenes in Prague.[3]

Awards
  • 1986 Montreal World Film Festival - Won Special Jury Award and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
  • 1987 Paris Film Festival - Won Best Actor award.
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See also

References
  1. "The 59th Academy Awards (1987) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  2. "My Sweet Little Village by Roger Ebert, 9 January 9, 1987". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  3. My Sweet Little Village (1985) - IMDb, retrieved 7 May 2020
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