Among the populations of the “East Bloc” the invasion of 1968 was met with incomprehension and outrage. The leadership cadre of the Soviet Union had already anticipated such a reaction and commissioned the central documentary film studio in Moscow to create an “educational film”. The undertaking was meant to reinforce the horror scenario of a counter-revolutionary conspiracy operating in Czechoslovakia on the one hand and that of the heroic role of the Soviet military on the other. To this ends, original footage shot by army cameramen during the invasion was used in part. This fact makes CZECHOSLOVAKIA, THE YEAR OF TRIALS the exact reverse image of Jan Němec’s ORATORIO FOR PRAGUE.
CHECHOSLOVAKYA, GOD ISPYTANYI / TSCHECHOSLOWAKEI, DAS JAHR DER HERAUSFORDERUNGEN
USSR 1969 / 68 min
Language: Czech
Director: Anatoliy Koloshin
Screenplay: Anatoliy Koloshin, I. Medvedev
Cinematographer: O. Artseulov, A. Istomin
Production Company: Central Studio for Documentary Film (CSDF), USSR
Among the populations of the “East Bloc” the invasion of 1968 was met with incomprehension and outrage. The leadership cadre of the Soviet Union had already anticipated such a reaction and commissioned the central documentary film studio in Moscow to create an “educational film”. The undertaking was meant to reinforce the horror scenario of a counter-revolutionary conspiracy operating in Czechoslovakia on the one hand and that of the heroic role of the Soviet military on the other. To this ends, original footage shot by army cameramen during the invasion was used in part. This fact makes CZECHOSLOVAKIA, THE YEAR OF TRIALS the exact reverse image of Jan Němec’s ORATORIO FOR PRAGUE.
Screenplay: Anatoliy Koloshin, I. Medvedev
Cinematographer: O. Artseulov, A. Istomin
Production Company: Central Studio for Documentary Film (CSDF), USSR
