Director Jindřich Polák's Riders of the Sky treats the heroism of RAF pilots with unusual sobriety, without the pathos typical of World War II propaganda films. This adaptation of Filip Jánský's strongly autobiographical novel of the same name also avoids other clichés of traditional war stories with unambiguous heroes.
At its core, this is a very intimate film that follows the fate of the international crew of a Wellington bomber. Three Czechoslovakians, two Englishmen, and a Canadian risk their lives every day during raids on enemy territory—not for glory or medals, but because it is their duty. Often, only centimeters separate them from death. Archival WWII footage adds a high degree of authenticity to the aerial scenes, which cinematographer Jan Němeček naturally incorporated by choosing the black-and-white academic format instead of the then-fashionable widescreen format. Polák himself saw this civilian drama as a symbolic repayment of a debt to the men whom the communist regime tried to portray as traitors to the nation.
Screening schedule:
25.09.2025, 20:00
29.09.2025, 18:00
Czechoslovakia 1968 | 91 minutes | English, Czech | Hebrew, English subtitles
