The Avenger

Based on the novel by Karel Matěj Čapek-Chod "Kašpar Lén the Avenger" (1908), the film is set in Prague before World War I. Kašpar Lén, a mason, returns to Prague after three years of war and finds that nothing is the same as before. When he searches for mason Kryštof and his daughter Márinka, with whom he lived in a sublet before leaving for the army, the current tenants tell him about their fate. The story, steeped in social injustice, greed, powerlessness and the desire for revenge, features solid performances by Radoslav Brzobohatý in the title role and Ivanka Devátá as Márinka. Another asset of this intimate film is its successful recreation of the atmosphere of Prague during the Austro-Hungarian era, including the nightlife and its associated establishments. The social-critical tone resonates to this day, as some practices will probably never disappear and will have to be fought against at all times. (Noir Film Festival)