THE CITY OF THE SUN

The town of Ostrava. Labourers Karel, Vinco, Tomas and Milan have just been laid off. Anger or despair is pointless: the four friends decide to start up a business. They get some money together and buy an old truck from their former employers. However, their initial optimism soon turns to disappointment. They're out of luck and a cruel coincidence just puts more obstacles in their way. And things aren't going well in their private lives, either. Kind-hearted Karel has to look after his three daughters after his wife has an accident; divorced irascible Milan is trying to save his adolescent son from sliding down a slippery slope; the somewhat unstable Tomas isn't up to his relationship with his energetic wife; and skirt-chaser Vinco is again struggling to remain faithful to his new girlfriend, the waitress Eva. But giving up is the last thing on their minds. This original film by the creator of The Garden is distantly reminiscent of a British social comedy, but it does retain an exceptional sense of realistic miniature in its depiction of the environment, and possesses a quirky ironic humour.