OSTŘE SLEDOVANÉ VLAKY · LIEBE NACH FAHRPLAN (OmU Deutsch)

At a tiny railway station somewhere in German-occupied Bohemia, the young Miloš takes a job as a trainee railway clerk. He is inexperienced, both in his position and when it comes to the opposite sex, and it is especially the latter that keeps making him nervous. He begins a relationship with the ticket inspector Máša, but it is marked by insecurities and misunderstandings and does not develop the way Miloš imagines. One thing is clear: to become a real man, Miloš must finally sleep with a woman!

With the comedy Closely Watched Trains (OSTŘE SLEDOVANÉ VLAKY), director Jiří Menzel created a classic of the Czechoslovak New Wave in his feature-film debut. At only 28 years old at the time, Menzel masterfully captures youth with all its uncertainties and pitfalls. Set against the backdrop of the Prague Spring, the result is a playful and witty film full of dry humor and understated charm, which was awarded, among other honors, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Lecture and discussion led by: Dr. Bernd Nitzschke.