Closed Circuit
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1989Production year
1988Premiere
1 May 1989Runtime
98 minDirector
Václav MatějkaCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Uzavřený okruhCzech title
Uzavřený okruhEnglish title
Closed CircuitSummary
This 1989 film from director Václav Matějka seeks to tell an environmental and ethical tale set in the world of manufacturing. Uzavřený okruh (Closed Circuit, 1989) is inspired by the short story Slunce pro můj den (Sun for My Day) from author Jiří S. Kupka, who also contributed to the screenplay adaptation. The story describes a clash between two morally contrasting expert professionals: experienced engineer Zikmund (Ladislav Lakomý), whose projects regularly cause environmental devastation, and the environmentally enlightened young engineer Karel Kalaš (Pavol Višňovský). Despite the fact that Zikmund’s daughter is engaged to the son of an ore mine director, she develops a relationship with Karel. The affair results in the death of an innocent bicyclist, Karel’s imprisonment, and his resignation from the “closed circuit” world of opportunism and power.
Synopsis
The big industrial enterprises cause an ecological catastrophe in the Dřínovské Mountains. The enemies are the so-called captains of Czechoslovak industry, linked in a "closed circuit" by mutual services, favouritism and bribes with those in power at the regional offices and the Prague ministry. One of them is an engineer called Zikmund whose construction project of yet another steelworks will result in total devastation of the countryside. A rather different project was put together by a young engineer called Honza Kala, in collaboration with the ecologists. It is based on a "closed circuit" of wasteless technology. At a mascarade ball, Honza meets Zikmund's daughter Karla who flirts with him openly although she is engaged to the son of the general director of the ore mines, Burda. Karla and Honza soon become lovers. Honza does not cease fighting for his project even though his ex-wife Marta, a lawyer, indicates to him that he has no chance. Zikmund, learning about his daughter's affair with Kala, flies into a rage and insists on her immediate wedding with the young Burda. Honza says goodbye to Karla at a cottage and gets drunk. Karla is driving on the way back and runs down a cyclist who later dies. The girl runs away and leaves the sleeping Honza in the car. He, however, does not remember anything the next day. Karla obeys her father's advice and claims that it was Honza who was driving. Zikmund's influential contacts interfere at the court and Honza is sentenced to four years in prison. Zikmund's project wins the competition and the construction is launched. But two years later it turns out that the construction cannot be continued according to the plans, and Zikmund must rework the project. He unscrupulously uses Honza's ideas. Honza is released from prison and finds work at a sawmill. He does not want to return to his previous profession - he cannot reconcile himself with the success of people like Zikmund and his daughter who are capable of destroying everything and everybody.
Photos
Cast
Pavol Višňovský
Voice by Ladislav Mrkvička
Ing. Jan Kalaš
Ladislav Lakomý
Ing. Karel Zikmund
Veronika Jeníková
Karla, Zikmundova dcera
Karel Heřmánek
ekolog Ruda Mikula, Kalašův přítel
Petr Pospíchal
ekonom Standa Burda, Karlin snoubenec
Jan Pohan
ředitel rudných dolů Burda, Standův otec
Vlastimil Fišar
ministerský úředník Jiří Horák, Karlin strýc
Michaela Dolinová
Ing. Věra Šípová, Karlina kamarádka
Zlata Adamovská
právnička Marta, Kalašova bývalá žena
Emil Horváth
Voice by Ferdinand Krůta
včelař děda Jančák
Bořík Procházka
docent Kříž, ředitel ekologického střediska
Zdeněk Martínek
Voice by Jiří Holý
profesor Hulík
Jana Gýrová
ředitelka umělecké agentury Pavla, Zikmundova žena
Jindřich Bonaventura
Průcha
Václav Vydra
Tonda Karas, Kalašův bývalý spolužák
Jitka Sedláčková
poštovní úřednice Maruška
Vlastimil Čaněk
stavbyvedoucí Jarolímek
František Švihlík
JUDr. Vladimír Gruber, Martin přítel
Václav Babka
soused Petřek
Josef Šebek
Svoboda
Naděžda Prchalová
Burdová, Standova matka
Valentina Thielová
Horákova manželka
Ivana Velichová
Jarmila
Dáša Neblechová
Ježková
Miroslav Krejča
ředitel stavby Ing. Alex
Marta Pospíchalová
Alexova manželka
Miroslav Nohýnek
soudce
Jaromír Roštínský
kapitán Sychra
Čestmír Řanda ml.
podporučík Mařík
Tomáš Valík
podporučík Hájek
Eva Jeníčková
sekretářka Marcela
Karel Koloušek
železničář Tomeš
Václav Knop
vyšetřovatel
Jiří Langmajer
poručík VB
Luďa Marešová
Jarolímková
Milan Hein
redaktor Dezort
Jana Krišicová
Hanička
Vladimír Pospíšil
předseda komise Fajtl
Isabela Siegelová
sekretářka Soňa
Jana Rubášová (2)
Miss Evropa
Ivan Urbánek
malíř Jonáš
Filip Renč
televizní redaktor Jelínek
Irena Pavlásková
režisérka KF
Kristian Hynek
kameraman KF
Miroslav Grác
Vávra
Jan Kriesman
Voice by Vlastimil Zavřel
vězeň Francl
Jolana Maurerová
Boženka, Karasova žena
Karel Brožek
šéfredaktor
Zdeněk Dolanský
redaktor
Taťána Bártová
barmanka
Miroslav Saic
ředitel Dohnal
Martin Duba
kameraman TV
Jaroslav Hejlek
zvukař TV
Michal Cuc
asistent zvukaře
H. Soukup
osvětlovač TV
M. Rada
produkční TV
Pavel Bělohradský
Golem
Vlastimila Vlková
babka Petřeková
Ivan Minář
fotograf
Lucie Bílá
zpěvačka
Jan Drašnar
muzikant
Aleš Duša
muzikant
O. Mucha
muzikant
Radek Podroužek
muzikant
M. Potoček
muzikant
Jan Prokeš (4)
muzikant
B. Sailer
muzikant
Pavel Skála (4)
muzikant
Michal Šenbauer
muzikant
J. Škop
muzikant
Jiří Vondráček
muzikant
skupina Naima
František Kop
muzikant v Rubínu
Martin Šulc
muzikant v Rubínu
Zdeněk Zdeněk
muzikant v Rubínu
Věra Tichánková
tetka
Jindřich Khain
lesník
Bedřich Kovrzek
Tonda Ras
Hana Vávrová
redaktorka
Radoslava Stupková
tenistka
Milan Slabihoud
tenista
Roman Janoušek
tenista
J. Kaška
barman v Rubínu
P. Čermáková
Karlina kamarádka
Martina Gasparovičová
Karlina kamarádka
Barbora Lukešová
úřednice
skupina Galapetr
L. Poupě
harmonikář
Simona Jáklová
dubl za Veroniku Jeníkovou
Dubbing
Karel Urbánek
komentář televizního dokumentu
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Josef Sandr
Assistant Director
Continuity
Screenstory
Based on
Jiří S. Kupka (Slunce pro můj den – filmová povídka)
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Dramaturg
Director of Photography
Second Unit Photography
Camera Operator
Michal Škoda
Production Designer
Assistent Production Designer
Art Director
Josef Mysliveček (obrazy)
Set Designer
Bedřich Čermák, Rudolf Beneš, Jaroslav Lehman
Costume Designer
Costumes
Make-Up Artist
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Stunts
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Daniela Jenčíková, Josef Štambach
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
JUDr. Jan Dyk, JUDr. František Fiala, RNDr. Karel Friedel, ak. arch. Milan Podzemný, RNDr. Pavel Štrunc
Cooperation
Milada Adámková (klapka), Ivan Minář (fotograf)
Music
Songs
Já sny mám
Song Composer Jiří F. Svoboda
Writer of Lyrics Pavel Vrba
Singer Lucie Bílá
Pod jalovec sedla
Singer sbor
Árie měsíce
Song Composer Jiří Šlitr
Writer of Lyrics Jiří Suchý
Singer Karel HeřmánekPavol Višňovský [dab]Ladislav Mrkvička
Production info
Original Title
Uzavřený okruh
Czech Title
Uzavřený okruh
English Title
Closed Circuit
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1989
Production Year
1988
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 20 November 1987
technical Screenplay approved 15 March 1988
start of filming 11 April 1988
end of filming 20 July 1988
the first film copy approved 4 November 1988
projection approval 15 December 1988
withdrawal from distribution 31 December 1991
Premiere
premiere 1 May 1989 /suitable for youths/
Production
Copyright Holders
Distribution
Creative Group
2. tvůrčí skupina, Josef Císař (vedoucí 2. tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
98 min
Original length in metres
2 403 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
