The Firemen's Ball (1967)

The Fireman's Ball (or The Firemen's Ball, Czech: Hoří, má panenko) is a 1967 comedy film directed by Miloš Forman. It is set at the annual ball of a small town's volunteer fire department, and the plot portrays the series of disasters that occur during the evening. The film uses few professional actors – the firemen portrayed are primarily played by the firemen of the small town where it was filmed. In its portrayal of the prevailing corruption of the local community, and the collapse even of well-intentioned plans, the film has widely been interpreted as a satire on the East European Communist system, and it was "banned forever" in Czechoslovakia following the Soviet invasion of 1968.

The Fireman's Ball was the last film Forman made in his native Czechoslovakia before going into exile. It is also the first film he shot in color, and a milestone of the Czechoslovak New Wave.

Synopsis

The volunteer fire department in a small Czechoslovak town decides to organize a ball in a townhall with raffle and a beauty pageant. The firefighters also plan to present a small ceremonial fire axe as the birthday gift to their retired chairman who has cancer (although they believe he may not know of it).