WITCHHAMMER

IN MEMORIAM: OTOKAR VÁVRA
Summoned to a village after an old woman spits out a host in the late 17th century, witchhunter Franz Boblin opens a series of show trials. When not actively condoning his brutal methods the religious authorities look the other way. Only Deacon Lautner resists the despotic inquisitor. This perhaps most famous work by Otakar Vávra, who died last year at the age of 100, is being screened to commemorate a highly influential figure in Czech film. Teaching at Prague FAMU he helped to mould directors like Miloš Forman, Jiří Menzel and Emir Kusturica.