Film Snail

Servants
Servants

5.6

Servants

NR·2020·81m

Summary

Michal and Juraj, two students of a theological seminary in totalitarian Czechoslovakia, must decide if they'll choose the easier way of collaboration, or if they'll subject themselves to the surveillance of the secret police.

Crew

Director, Writer

Ivan Ostrochovský

Writer

Rebecca Lenkiewicz

Writer

Marek Leščák

Reviews

maketheSWITCH

maketheSWITCH

August 22, 2020

6

As a piece of filmmaking, 'Servants' is certainly impressive, filled with striking cinematography and flashes where we glimpse the strange, surreal world behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia. What is even more beguiling about the film is reminding one's self that this is set in 1980, the very recent past. The world we see feels captured in time, a vision of a post-war world rather than a more contemporary one. Unfortunately, full advantage of these elements is never taken up, and in the end, 'Servants' also feels like an unfinished film, an idea taken to a certain point but never given the opportunity to fully grow. It's a pity, because all the hallmarks are there of an intriguing film and an intriguing filmmaker. - Daniel Lammin

Read Daniel's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-servants-an-austere-glimpse-behind-the-iron-curtain-in-czechoslovakia

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

Slovak

Budget:

$1,700,000.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Keywords

communist
priest
black and white
seminary
communism
secret police
medical examination
1980s
communist espionage
secret
central europe