Stestí

The film "Stesti" ("Some kind of happiness") reminds me of the cinema of the Czech New Wave of sixties, especially of the first films of Milos Forman (The Loves of a Blonde, The Firemen's Ball). The same sincere and touching interest to the preoccupations and destiny of the simple people, especially their sentimental life. The same unhurried cadence. But it is a more disillusioned film also, probably because it describes a country in the state of breakdown before reconstruction and it shows the people in the turmoil and torment of change. It is an unsophisticated film, as films of the developing world often are, but it is realistic and honest one as these films are sometimes. Of course Czechie is not a developing country but it seems that the sophistication and glamor of Western cinema is not so easy to attain even for a director of talent. I must mention also the work of the cameraman. Especially his landscapes. Sometimes they are absolutely exquisite. Sometimes beautiful and nostalgic.