Seven Witnesses (Sedem svedkov)
| Program section: | Czechoslovak Noir |
|---|---|
| Directed by: | Peter Solan |
| Year: | 1967 |
| Country: | Czechoslovakia |
| Length: | 57 min. |
| Cast: | Vlado Müller, Ivan Mistrík, Štefan Kvietik, Anton Mrvečka, Ján Bzdúch and others. |
Screening:
- 22. 8. 2026 | 12:30 - Central Bohemia Hall (castle - gothic kitchen) / EN subs /
- 19. 8. 2026 | 18:00 - LoGyn Hall (castle - western room) / EN subs /
Script/Based on: Peter Karvaš
Director of Photography: Vincent Rosinec
Score: Miroslav Bázlik
Yet another notch for Vlado Müller in the program of our festival is presented by this psychological TV film, relying on the complex Rashomon-like narrative structure, which is – unlike in Kurosawa’s famous film – realized in less than an hour. This adaptation of what was originally a star studded radio play was made under the direction of Peter Solan, who had contributed to the noir genre at least with The Man Who Never Returned (1959). Alternative forms of narration aren’t rare in his work, which aligns with the overall diversity of it, including the topics. Seven Witnesses deals with the question of truth, personal responsibility, the courage to act and the dangers of comfortable idleness. The magical number seven, appearing in the title and the story structure, is not coincidental – its cultural meanings, such as inner wisdom or completeness, hint that Solan’s film is about much more than „a single crime and its witnesses. (bk)
