Miloš Forman

The Firemen’s Ball

The Firemen’s Ball

A milestone of the Czech New Wave, Milos Forman’s first color film The Firemen’s Ball (Horí, má panenko) is both a dazzling comedy and a provocative political satire. A hilarious saga of good intentions confounded, the story chronicles a firemen’s ball where nothing goes right—from a beauty pageant whose reluctant participants embarrass the organizers to a lottery from which nearly all the prizes are pilfered. Presumed to be a commentary on the floundering Czech leadership, the film was “banned forever” in Czechoslovakia following the Russian invasion and prompted Forman’s move to America.

Film Info

  • Czechoslovakia
  • 1967
  • 73 minutes
  • Color
  • 1.33:1
  • Czech
  • Spine #145

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • Interview with director Milos Forman
  • Behind-the-scenes look at the film transfer process, featuring cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek, and comments from Milos Forman
  • New and improved English subtitle translation

    New cover by James Tung

Purchase Options

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

  • Interview with director Milos Forman
  • Behind-the-scenes look at the film transfer process, featuring cinematographer Miroslav Ondricek, and comments from Milos Forman
  • New and improved English subtitle translation

    New cover by James Tung
The Firemen’s Ball
Cast
Jan Vostrcil
Head of Committee
Josef Šebánek
Committee members
František Reinstein
František Paska
Ladislav Adam
Václav Novotný
Josef Řehořek
Vratislav Čermák
František Debelka
Josef Valnoha
Josef Kolb
Josef
Jan Stöckl
Retired fire chief
Stanislav Holubec
Karel
Josef Kutálek
Ludva
František Svět
Old man
Antonín Blažejovský
Standa
Milada Ježková
Stanislav Ditrich
Waiters
Jarmila Kuchařová
Alena Květová
"Miss" contestants
Miluše Zelená
Marie Slívová
Hana Hanusová
Hana Kuberová
Anna Liepoldová
Credits
Director
Miloš Forman
Executive producer
Rudolf Hájek
Screenplay
Jaroslav Papoušek
Screenplay
Miloš Forman
Screenplay
Ivan Passer
Screenplay
Václav Šašek
Cinematography
Miroslav Ondříček
Assistant director
Jaroslav Papoušek
Camera
Eduard Kadeřábek
Production manager
Jaroslav Solnička
Makeup
Rudolf Hammer
Costumes
Zdena Šnajdarová
Art director
Vladimír Mácha
Music
Karel Mareš
Set designer
Karel Černý
Editing
Miroslav Hájek
Sound
Adolf Böhm

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