

92 minutes
11/4/1999
Based on an autobiographical novella by Ivan Olbracht, the film tells the story of Hanele Safarová, who grows up just after the First World War in a little Ruthenian schtetl which, in true Hassidic fashion, awaits the arrival of the Messiah. But Hanele decides to follow the Zionists instead. She moves to the city to prepare for her departure to the Promised Land, where she meets a successful businessman named Ivo Karadzic, who has renounced Judaism to become a free-thinker. Their love for each other doesn’t only drive Hanele’s parents to distraction, it also threatens to destroy the entire community in the schetl.

Lada Jelínková
as Hanele Šafarová

Miroslav Noga
as Ivo Karadžič

Jiří Ornest
as Dad

Táňa Fischerová
as Mom

Milan Lasica
as Grandpa Šafar

Hanuš Bor
as Pinches Jakubovič

Václav Chalupa
as Šlojme Kac

Stanislav Zindulka
as Jid Fajnerman

Jan Kraus
as Salamon Fux

Eva Holubová
as Ester Fuxová

Radim Kalvoda
as Benci Fux
Jindřich Khain
as Herše Fux

Peter Šimun
as Leib Abramovič

Rudolf Máhrla
as Old Kac
Steva Maršálek
as Mojše Kahan
Hana Franková
as Ivo's Mother

Jiří Pomeje
as Lieutenant

Daniel Margolius
as Student

Luděk Munzar
as Narrator (voice)
Tereza Krenová
Lucie Soušková
Veronika Větrovcová
Milan Hajn
Magdalena Souskova
Leila Ayari

Lucie Žáčková

Martha Issová
Lucie Nedvědová

Magdaléna Sidonová

Rudolf Kubík
Peter Gábor
Zuzana Talpová

Lenka Svadbíková
Marion Pagáčová
Johana Rezková

Hana Frejková

Pavel Rímský

Mikuláš Křen
Jan Růžička

Zuzana Fišárková

Petr Meissel

Marie Ludvíková
Miloš Vosmanský

Ján Sedal
Peter Serge Butko

Erik Peťovský
Jiří Müller

Dušan Sitek

Jozef Kubáník
Luděk Randár
Iva Pančenková
Tereza Chytilová

Martin Hofmann
Jan Nejedlý
Martin Veliký
Ondřej Škoch
František Novotný
František Martínek
Vít Mareček
David Jurča
Aleš Blinka

Alois Švehlík
as Leib Abramovič (voice) (uncredited)