Údolí včel

Director František Vláčil concluded his loose historical trilogy with a dramatically concise film that, instead of grand narrative scenes, depicts the characters' internal conflicts. The protagonists of the story are two knights of the Crusader Order – Armin von Heide and his Czech protégé Ondřej. The young nobleman, whom his father dedicated to the Order in his childhood, flees from the Crusader castle, where he grew up in asceticism and prayer. However, the religiously zealous Armin pursues his comrade to his native Vlkov and thwarts his attempt to live a normal, happy life alongside the beautiful Lenora. The timeless story of the clash of fanaticism and personal freedom stands out with František Uldrich's black-and-white camera, mainly vocal compositions by Zdeněk Liška, and acting performances by Jan Kačer with Petr Čepek in the lead roles.