The Straight Path

Ludvík Toman / Czechoslovakia / 1948 / The film already had its Czech Premiere / 13 min.

synopsis

During socialism, Konzum was a chain of grocery and general stores, but it was also a place where unexpected events took place after dark. In the poetic interlude between the last and first customers, between dusk and dawn, herring and coffee come to life with stories from faraway places. The mundane everyday routine is transformed into a frenetic swarm of ships, conveyor belts, machines, and human hands working collectively to supply goods.

biography

Ludvík Toman (1920–1988) started working for Krátký film after World War II, made popular science films in the 1950s, and served as the chief dramaturg at Barrandov Film Studios during the normalization period. His films include Křižovatka života (Crossroads of Life, 1948) and I andělé ztrácejí trpělivost (Even Angels Lose Patience, 1949). He played the director of an agency in Smoljak’s Nejistá sezóna (The Uncertain Season, 1987).