After contributing to the anthology film Motiv pro vraždu (The Motive for Murder, 1974), Jiří Svoboda made his full debut with this psychological feature about a 19-year-old sportswoman whose life is changed by a serious accident. The required lengthy, bed-bound hospitalisation forces the arrogant and self-centred girl to rethink her relationships with her close ones, who are trying to support her in this difficult situation. The drama, based on a literary work from Ludmila Romportlová, offers an interesting opportunity for the debuting lead actress Lenka Kodešová – whom Svoboda also cast in his 1986 feature film, Papilio. Kristýna, whom she portrays, is at first not exactly likeable, and refuses the assistance offered to her by the doctors and family. It is a young crane operator, played by Miloš Vávra, who is eventually able to change Kristýna’s outlook. He was also given parts by Svoboda in later films (Dům na Poříčí [The House in Poříčí Street, 1976], Oddechový čas [Time for a Breather, 1977]).
It has only been a single wrong jump and the fall thereafter in a match and the whole life of Christine, a nineteen-year volleyball player, turned upside down. She is seriously injured, made to be lying in a plaster bed at hospital and later at home for long months. Her loneliness and idle life recall the time when she, being aware of her sports talent and female attractiveness, used to be arrogant and egoistic. She did not finish her sports club season, accepted an attractive offer in Prague, taking easy the love of her friend Tomáš. Christine did not want to admit that her mother had the right to live her own life, and together with her sister Marta, they called up a bad quarrel with their mother's partner. The young girl is depressed about her injury, which makes her behave arrogantly towards the doctor and nurses. However, none of her friends pays back the same coin. All of them try to make her life easier, ignoring her bursts of despair. During the long lonely periods, when her mother is at work and her sister at school, Christine tries to look at the world behind her room's windows through a mirror. This way she meets a young crane driver. He is willing to help her, and together with friends, they make a small trapeze for her to exercise in bed. His unpretending friendship helps her in thinking about a new attitude to life.
Kristýna Plívová
Helena Plívová, Kristýnina matka
Marta, Kristýnina sestra
Tomáš Srba
sportovní redaktor Adam Javorský
MUDr. Prokeš
primářka
MUDr. Kudrnáč
MUDr. Hlaváček
Berger, matčin přítel
jeřábník Ondřej
pacientka Stehlíková
pacientka Adámková
obvodní lékař
pilot Plíva, otec Marty a Kristýny
trenér Slavoje inženýr Bedřich Lopata
pacientka Čížková
Adámek, manžel pacientky
Vladěna, Adamova sestra
ošetřovatel František
Radek, Kristýnin nevlastní bratr
funkcionář ligového klubu
řidič sanitky
saniťák
zdravotní sestra
muž s knírem
pořadatel
Stehlík, syn pacientky
Málková
Rysová
Pavla
Jana
dubl – jízda na motocyklu
volejbalistky
Ludmila Romportlová (Zrcadlo pro Kristýnu – novela)
Jaroslav Lehman, Miloš Sršeň, Ladislav Rada
Vladimír Kubík, Jiří Holeček, Jaroslav Vlk
MUDr. Miroslav Sýkora, Metoděj Mácha
Blažena Motlíková (klapka), Karel Šebík (fotograf)
FISYO (Music Conducted by František Belfín)
Zrcadlo pro Kristýnu
Zrcadlo pro Kristýnu
The Mirror for Christine
film
featuretheatrical distribution
psychological
Czechoslovakia
1975
1975
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1986
premiere 11 March 1976 /suitable for youths/ (kino Lucerna, Praha)
premiere 12 March 1976 /suitable for youths/ (celostátní)
gala premiere 12 March 1976 (Dům kultury Vítkovických železáren Klementa Gottwalda, Ostrava)
Dramaturgická skupina Oty Hofmana, Ota Hofman (vedoucí dramaturgické skupiny), Výrobní skupina Věry Třeškové, Věra Třešková (vedoucí výrobní skupiny)
feature film
93 min
2 610 meters
16mm, 35mm
1:1,66
colour
sound
mono
Czech
Czech
without subtitles
Czech
Festival: 14. filmový festival mladých Banská Bystrica
1976
Banská Bystrica / Czechoslovakia
Petr Hapka