Pilgrims
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1988Production year
1987Premiere
1 April 1989Runtime
91 minDirector
Zdenek ZaoralCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionstudent filmlongOriginal title
PoutníciCzech title
PoutníciEnglish title
PilgrimsSummary
The screenwriter, assistant director, pedagogue and film journalist Zdeněk Zaoral (1945–1996) made his debut as the director of Pavučina (The Cobweb, 1986) – a bold feature dealing with the topic of drug addiction. Two years later, he created a drama starring co-screenwriter Ondřej Pavelka. In Poutníci (Pilgrims), Pavelka plays the part of ambitious intellectual Pavel, a freshly graduated movie director who, accompanied by friends, sets out upon a journey that follows in the footsteps of Karel Hynek Mácha. The group of young people decide to perform their experimental staging of Máj (archaic Czech for “May”) at South Bohemian holiday resorts. But it seems that the tragic events presented in Mácha’s poem are casting a dark cloud over relationships among members of the amateur ensemble, tainted both by Pavel’s arrogance and his romantic pursuits… Apart from Pavelka, Eva Salzmanová, Petra Lustigová and Alena Mihulová star in this feature.
Synopsis
The First of May holiday is celebrated by a parade at the Prague Letná plain, as well as by the sculpture of Czech romantic poet Mácha at the Prague Petřín hill. A group of young people sets off wandering around the The Bohemian Forest with their staging of Mácha's poem May. The company consists of the freshly graduated director Pavel, his girlfriend - a journalism student Vanda, students of acting Petra, Zuzana and Jirka, and also Radka. Pavel's friend Honza drives them around in a horse-drawn wagon. The girl who was supposed to play Jarmila's part has not arrived and the title woman's role is assigned to Petra. The company's itinerary is the following: Romberk - Vyí Brod - Lipno - Boletice - Černá in the umava Basin - Nová Pec - Soumarský Bridge - Lenora. The non-traditional performance is quite successful but Pavel is nervous and keeps reproaching the actors, which indeed does not help the uncertain Petra. During one performance, an unfortunate manipulation with the curtains strips off her clothes and she is exposed naked to the audience. Pavel includes Radka, who initially joined them as a maid, among the actors. Jitka blames Pavel for his arrogance and leaves the group. Vilém's part must be performed by Pavel. Their further travels are influenced by clarifying their mutual relationships. Vanda quarrels with Pavel but does not tell him about her pregnancy. Petra, having no idea about anything, yields to her concealed affection and makes love to Pavel. The girls give a presentation of a puppet performance to Pavel's displeasure. Radka, too, becomes close to Pavel when the group camps in a forest. At night, three bikers try to violate Zuzana but the rest of the troupe prevent the rape. The mood in the morning is sombre. The sad Petra lies down on the first floor of the nearby hayloft where horses are stabled. But a strong thunderstorm begins and lightning sets the hayloft on fire. Honza leads the horses out but no one knows about the sleeping Petra who dies in the burning hay.
Photos
Cast
Ondřej Pavelka
mladý režisér Pavel
Karel Hábl
Honza, Pavlův přítel
Eva Salzmannová
studentka žurnalistiky Vanda
Petra Lustigová
studentka herectví Petra
Alena Mihulová
Radka
Hana Sršňová
studentka herectví Zuzana
Kateřina Lojdová
Irena, sekretářka funkcionáře Staňka
Luboš Veselý
student herectví Jirka
Jarmil Krecan
Voice by Oldřich Vlach
funkcionář Staněk
Václav Hálek
Voice by František Husák
referent Vacek
Zdeněk Dušek
lesník
Vanda Hybnerová
funkcionářka
Karel Kadoun
velitel
Yvona Nováková
tanečnice
Martin Bezouška
opilec
Dušan Kukal
opilec
Vladimír Remeš
muž na kole
Jiří Havel
karbaník
Zdeněk Pecháček
vysoký motorkář
Milan Livora
motorkář
Oldřich Eichler
motorkář
Jana Brejchová
ona sama, herečka
Oldřich Daněk
on sám, dramatik
Gustav Oplustil
on sám, televizní režisér
Jiřina Bohdalová
ona sama, herečka
Josef Bláha
on sám, herec
Jaroslav Moučka
on sám, herec
Milena Svobodová
Daniela Černá
Commentary
Dubbing
Jan Cmíral
hlas v obecním rozhlase
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Janoš Vaculík
Continuity
Screenstory
Screenplay
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Production Designer
Art Director
Set Designer
Zuzana Valenová
Costumes
Film Editor
Assistant Film Editor
Sound Designer
Special Effects
Jiří Berger (pyrotechnik)
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Kateřina Lojdová
Unit Production Manager
Cooperation
Miroslav Zůna (umělecká spolupráce), Terezie Čampulková (klapka), Klaudie Hepnerová (klapka), Zdenek Zaoral (fotograf), Petr Čurn, Olga Hlinovská, Barbora Hocková, Zdeněk Kopka, Petr Saksa, Martina Saksová, Jiří Štrébl, Eva Zaoralová, Pavel Zvarič, Jan Navrátil
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Bedřich Smetana (Prodaná nevěsta /Věrné naše milování/)
Music Performed by
FISYO (Music Conducted by Štěpán Koníček), skupina Flop
Choreographer
Songs
Frankie Dlouhán
Song Composer Glen Campbell
Writer of Lyrics Jan Nedvěd
Singer Hana Sršňová
Šlapu dál
Song Composer Jana Černochová
Writer of Lyrics Jana Černochová
Singer Alena Mihulová
Holka na vdávání
Song Composer Jana Černochová
Writer of Lyrics Jana Černochová
Singer Alena Mihulová
Čekám
Song Composer Jana Černochová
Writer of Lyrics Jana Černochová
Singer Alena Mihulová
Já prožila už
Song Composer Jana Černochová
Writer of Lyrics Jana Černochová
Singer Alena Mihulová
Production info
Original Title
Poutníci
Czech Title
Poutníci
English Title
Pilgrims
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distributionstudent film
Genre
drama
Student film
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1988
Production Year
1987
Production specifications
start of filming 3 July 1987
end of filming 21 August 1987
the first film copy approved 5 December 1987
projection approval 10 May 1988
withdrawal from distribution 30 June 1991
Premiere
premiere 1 April 1989 /unsuitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
91 min
Original length in metres
2 563 meters
Distribution carrier
35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
colour
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech
Subtitles languages
without subtitles
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
