Country: Czechoslovakia | Category: Fiction | Year of production: 1933 | Duration: 72’ | In Czech, Slovak, Polish, Rusyn and Jiddis with Ukrainian and English subtitles

What is the film about?

This is a dramatic story about love and betrayal, revenge and forgiveness, which unfolds in the Transcarpathian highlands in the 1930s (at that time, the region was part of Czechoslovakia). In the centre of the plot is the family of Birchaks whose house is struck by lightning and burns to the ground. Petro Birchak begins to build a new house and calls for help from young Danylo. In the meantime, the man himself decides to make some extra money and goes to the mountains to chop wood. His wife Marijka is left alone with Danylo, and passion quickly flares up between them, the retribution for which will be severe.

Why is it a must-see?

“Marijka Nevernice” is a real catch for anyone interested in the history of Transcarpathia because Kolochava was the main location for filming the film. The tape was quite innovative at the time: the director Vladislav Vancura decided to work with non-professional actors and involved the inhabitants of the highlands in the filming. Only the role of the Czech tourist went to Ivan Olbracht, the author of the book on which the film was based.

“Marijka Nevernice” is the creation of enthusiasts who, in limited time and with a small budget, were able to shoot extremely valuable documentary footage and record the authentic life of Transcarpathian highlands.

About the director

Vladislav Vancura is a Czech writer, playwright and director, whose works often reveal an interest in Transcarpathia. In addition to the film, Marijka Nevernice, which he shot in Kolochava, Vancura wrote two books dedicated to Transcarpathia – "The Last Judgment" and "Gendarmerie Humoreski".

About the screenwriter

Ivan Olbracht, whose real name is Kamil Zeman, was born on January 6, 1882, in Semily, an industrial district of Pidkronoshcha in Northern Bohemia. The novel, “Nikola Šuhaj loupežník” (1933), about the Transcarpathian Robin Hood and the People's Defender, brought fame to the writer and was translated into 12 languages.

Awards

Best Rediscovered Film at the Festival of Archive and Restored Films l Cinema Ritrovato in Bologna (2010)