Valerie a týden divů
| Valerie and Her Week of Wonders Valerie a týden divů |
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Original Czech film poster
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| Directed by | Jaromil Jireš |
| Produced by | Jirí Becka |
| Written by |
Vitezslav Nezval (novel) Jaromil Jireš (screenplay) Ester Krumbachová (screenplay) Jirí Musil (dialogue) |
| Starring |
Jaroslava Schallerová Helena Anýžová Karel Engel Jan Klusák Petr Kopriva |
| Music by | Lubos Fiser |
| Distributed by | Janus Films (US release) |
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Release date
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Running time
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73 minutes |
| Country | Czechoslovakia |
| Language | Czech |
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Czech: Valerie a týden divů) is a 1970 Czechoslovakian surrealist horror film directed by Jaromil Jireš (1935–2001) and based on the 1945 novel of the same name by Vítězslav Nezval (1900–1958). It is considered part of the Czech New Wave movement.
The 1970 film adaptation of Valerie a týden divů was shot in 1969 starring 13-year-old Jaroslava Schallerová as Valerie, with a supporting cast of Helena Anýžová, Karel Engel, Jan Klusák, Petr Kopriva, among others. It was filmed in the Czech town of Slavonice and surrounding areas. The film portrays the heroine as living in a disorienting dream, cajoled by priests, vampires, men and women alike, and blends elements of fantasy and horror films.
Valerie (Schallerová), a pretty young girl, is sleeping in a gazebo. A thief steals her earrings; as she tries to investigate, she's startled by the apparition of a horrific man who quickly covers his face with a polecat mask. The next day she is swimming in a pool and the thief's arms suddenly return her earrings to her, much to the annoyance of the young thief's boss, the man in the mask, whom the boy calls the Constable.
Back at her house, Valerie, who's just had her first period, asks her grandmother Elsa about the earrings, which belonged to Valerie's late mother: she left them behind upon entering the convent where she met Valerie's late father, a bishop. Before that, the owner of the earrings was the Constable who was also the previous owner of their house. Valerie also learns that both a group of missionaries and a company of actors are coming to town.
During her neighbor Hedvika's wedding, Valerie sees the monstrous-looking Constable watching her in the crowd and her grandmother seems to also recognize him. While practicing piano, Valerie receives a letter from the thief, whose name is Orlík ("Eaglet"). In the letter, the boy reveals that the Constable is his own uncle and very dangerous; he killed Orlík's parents and now wants Valerie's earrings back. Orlík asks Valerie to meet him at the church during the evening sermon where the head missionary will address the town's virgins. After the service, the two meet and he doesn't hide his attraction to her.
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