All My Good Countrymen

Vojtěch Jasný’s All My Good Countrymen (1969) portrays life in a small Moravian village as it is reshaped by the Communist Party’s rise to power and the forced collectivisation of 1948. Through interwoven character studies, the film depicts how ordinary villagers confront shifting loyalties, hardship and hope while trying to hold on to their dignity and daily rhythms.

Celebrated for its lyrical imagery and emotional depth, the film paints a vivid portrait of community under pressure. As Senses of Cinema notes: “Všichni dobří rodáci remains a wonderful, lyrical film, kaleidoscopic in depicting the ghastly changes to the lives of simple Moravian villagers wrought by the onset of Communist Party rule and collectivisation in 1948, without sacrificing drama and emotion in the slightest.”

All My Good Countrymen stands as a cornerstone of the Czechoslovak New Wave and a resonant exploration of resilience, humanity and historical change.