Those Few Days...

Country

Czechoslovakia, France

Copyright

1968

Production year

1968

Premiere

24 October 1969

Runtime

80 min

Director

Yves Ciampi

Category

film

Genre

drama

Typology

featuretheatrical distributionlong

Original title

Těch několik dnů...

Czech title

Těch několik dnů...

English title

Those Few Days...

Co-production title

A quelques jours près...

Working title

O pár dnů dřív / O pár dnů...

Summary

Born of a collaboration between Czech and French filmmakers, this feature film was severally affected by the dramatic changes in the political situation that occurred before and after the Warsaw Pact invasion of August 1968. The crushing of the Prague Spring political liberation meant Yves Ciampi’s film was in Czechoslovakia only to a limited extent in cinemas outside of Prague. The protagonist of Těch několik dnů… (1968) is Frenchwoman Francoise, who experiences a love affair while studying sociology in Prague. Francoise had married shortly before she left for her studies, but she tries to break the bonds with her French partner. The love triangle, however, is affected by the political turmoil of 1968 and emotional alienation… The leading parts in the film – which offers an interesting insight into its contemporary era – are portrayed by Thalie Frugés and Vít Olmer.

Synopsis

It is the last day of 1968. Young Parisienne Françoise toasts her reflection in a mirror. Sitting alone, she returns to Prague in her memories. As a student of sociology, she received a scholarship to work on her dissertation in East European countries. She arrived in Prague at the beginning of November 1967. On the very first day, she met young handsome Professor Pavel Kučera, who lectured in French literature at the Philosophical Faculty. From the first moment, the two people felt very close to each other and finally fell in love. However, just before her departure for Prague, Françoise had married Jean-Louis in France. She left to see him on Christmas to ask for a divorce. Although their marriage was not very serious, the husband does not want to give up his wife. When the young woman returns to Prague, her relationship begins to be influenced by the political activities of the Prague Spring, with Pavel being one of the main actors of the students' protests. Françoise, too, used to be a devoted activist of similar riots some time ago in Paris, but everything ended in disillusionment for her. Pavel does not have enough time for her and they gradually cease to understand each other. Jean-Louis eventually calls her and agrees to the divorce. Although Françoise still loves Pavel, she refuses to give up her newly acquired freedom. She leaves Prague in June 1968, aware that she would never return to him.

Note

The French première of the film was held on the 30th of April 1969.

Cast

Thalie Fruges

Voice by Alena Kreuzmannová
francouzská studentka Françoise Darmon

Philippe Baronnet

Jean-Louis, manžel Françoise

Jana Šulcová

studentka Vladěna Bosáková

Josef Čáp

student Stašek Klika

Vít Olmer

profesor dr. Pavel Kučera

Jiří Ornest

student Kotas

Petr Svojtka

student Kotalík

Ladislav Janský

student Honza

Aloys Rwaka

medik Aloys Mofeba

Jiří Plachý

student Jiří

Lenka Termerová

studentka Ivana

Hana Brejchová

studentka Květa

Radúz Chmelík

profesor Háj

Helena Růžičková

uklízečka na koleji

Kamila Moučková

hlasatelka v televizi

Michel Ducrocq

Philippe

Valérie Vienne

Maite

Daniele Garnier

Virginie

Pascal Fardoulis

starší student

Jean-Pierre Marichal

Gruber

Jiřina Bílá

průvodčí

Alena Balejová

nahá dívka

Jiří Cimický

člen zkušební komise

Karel Kratochvíl (2)

člen zkušební komise

Stanislav Litera

člen zkušební komise

Vladimír Navrátil

člen zkušební komise

Josef Dziedzic

cikánský houslista

František Hájek

profesor

Jar. Kalivoda

profesor

Václav Soldát

profesor

Václav Halama

prodavač párků

Karel Hovorka

prodírající se pán

Jaroslav Toms

strážmistr VB

Antonín Pražák

taxikář

Jacques Sternberg

spisovatel

Crew and creators

Director

Yves Ciampi

Second Unit Director

Zdena Pavlátová

Assistant Director

Jaroslav Toms, Pascale Breugnot, Claude Sambain

Shooting Script

Yves Ciampi

Director of Photography

Vladimír Novotný, Claude Saunier

Second Unit Photography

Miloš Petrolín

Camera Operator

Jiří Knotek

Production Designer

Jan Zázvorka

Assistent Production Designer

Karel Vacek

Set Designer

Karel Lukáš, Jacques Preisach, Dana Vaňková, Václav Zavřel

Costume Designer

Olga Dimitrovová

Film Editor

Georges Alepée

Sound Designer

Josef Vlček

Production Manager

Zdeněk Oves

Unit Production Manager

Jean Guillaume, Ctibor Jeřábek, Vladislav Špidra, Jaroslav Vágner

Cooperation

Eva Truchlá (klapka), Josef Janoušek (fotograf), Karel Ješátko (fotograf)

Music

Music Performed by

FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček)

Songs

Anča, kráva, vidle, jak se to rýmuje

Singer sbor

Krásná růže v sadu kvetla

Song Composer lidová francouzská píseň
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Tichota
Singer Spiritual kvintet

Chtěl bych jednou holku mít, záleží to na osudu

Singer Petr SvojtkaJiří Ornest

Kuril machorku

Singer sbor

Zrcadlo

Singer skupina Olympic

Stůj, občane!

Song Composer Karel Černoch
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Žák
Singer Karel Černoch

Gdě eta ulica

Singer sbor

Production info

Original Title

Těch několik dnů...

Czech Title

Těch několik dnů...

English Title

Those Few Days...

Co-production Title

A quelques jours près...

Working Title

O pár dnů dřív / O pár dnů...

Category

film

Typology

featuretheatrical distribution

Genre

drama

Origin country

Czechoslovakia, France

Copyright

1968

Production Year

1968

Production specifications

the first film copy approved 27 December 1968
projection approval 11 June 1969
withdrawal from distribution 1972

Premiere

premiere abroad 30 April 1969 (Paříž, Francie)
premiere 24 October 1969 /unsuitable for youths/ (omezená distribuce)

Studio

Barrandov

Creative Group

Tvůrčí skupina Šmída – Fikar, Ladislav Fikar (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Bohumil Šmída (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)

Technical info

Duration typology

feature film

Duration in minutes

80 min

Original length in metres

2 256 meters

Distribution carrier

16mm, 35mm

Aspect ratio

1:1,66

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Sound system/format

mono

Versions

Czech

Dialogue languages

Czech, French

Subtitles languages

Czech

Opening/End credits languages

Czech