CASFFA: The Gardener's Year

Zahradníkuv rok

A gardener (Oldrich Kaiser) lives at the foot of a hill with his wife (Dáša Vokatá) and takes care of their small nursery, but their rural life is disrupted when a stranger buys the nearby castle. When the nursery obstructs his development plans, a series of bizarre events is triggered. The new neighbour installs a razor-wire fence, closes the local road, and hires a security guard (Štepán Kozub).

Jirí Havelka’s latest film is a tragicomedy based on the book by Karel Capek and inspired by Franz Kafka's absurdist works. It is also inspired by the buzz of bees and the whisper of rustling leaves. Surrounded by nature and forced to contend with the destructive neighbour, Oldrich Kaiser delivers an excellent performance as a gardener in a sorry plight.

World premiere: 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Australian Premiere.

Rating

Unclassified 15+

Duration

104 min

Language

Czech (English subtitles)

Cast

Oldrich Kaiser, Dagma Vokatá, Štepán Kozub, Michal Isteník

Director

Jirí Havelka