Tobruk

Autumn 1941. The Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion (East) is sent to the North African town of Tobruk; their task is to join the allies in defending the last strategic seaport in northern Libya from German and Italian units. The recruits’ dreams of heroism are soon countered with the tough reality of their situation: the constant threat of not only enemy fire, but also the blistering heat of the African desert and, surprisingly, also the limits of their own patience and bravery. Private Jiří Pospíchal, like the others, has to resist the loss of his self-respect and put to the test his will to survive. Inspired by the novel by Stephen Crane, Václav Marhoul’s original war film is not conceived as a traditional war drama, but as a visually uncompromising, atmospheric spectacle which testifies to the courage of men to fight for their country far from home. Nominated for nine Czech Lion awards, Tobruk garnered three (Best Cinematography, Music and Sound). –KVIFF