Czechoslovakia (1985): Comedy

Jirí Menzel of Closely Watched Trains (1966) fame directed the sweet little Czechoslovakian comedy/drama. The life's blood of the titular community is a collective farm. Marián Labuda is the farm's truck driver, and also the partner-protector of János Bán, who is the village idiot. Like everyone else in the village, Labuda has watched out for Bán and covered up his mistakes, but in recent weeks the situation has become intolerable and Labuda demands a new partner. As Bán prepares to be relocated to Prague, we cut away to various subplots, all of which lead to the same conclusion: the hapless Bán has always been the "glue" that has held the community together. A contrite Labuda heads for Prague to invite Bán to come back home. (Fifth Group, Barrandov/Circle Films) (Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide)

· Foreign Language Film Award 1986: (Czechoslovakia) (No producer credited.)

1 nomination