Senior firefighter Broňa (Miroslav Krobot) explains, when asked why he has a problem with foreigners: “It’s not prejudice. It’s experience”. His experience with people from abroad, however, is very limited. He lives in a small town in the Czech Republic’s hilly backcountry. The only person in the close periphery with skin and hair one tone darker is Roma Gejza (Milan Kroka), and he happens to be a local. Nonetheless, Broňa insists: no foreigners, because they are trouble.
During early Eastern, a white van hits the village square fountain, knocking Gejza over. Broňa is convinced that this is a terrorist attack, following Europe’s brief history of cars running over crowds for such purposes. He believes that it is the duty of the fire department to search and to defend the town by hook and by crook, and to ensure that the hitherto unidentified attacker cannot get away with his crime. He’s desperate for the opportunity to prove his worth to his closely-knit community. His crusade does go not unchallenged. The local priest tells him: “hatred is not the way”. Broňa retorts: “it’s about security”.
His colleague Standa (Michal Isteník) is a young and bubbly father-to-be, happily married to witty Jana (Anna Polívková). He does not share the racist views with his senior, however he remains susceptible to bizarre conspiracy theories, such as the titular Chemtrails. Believers think the white puffy white trails left by airplanes are intentionally laced with chemicals, and that washing everything with vinegar is the only way to resolve this. Standa follows the advice to the letter, with his wife assuming that’s a new kink intended to spice up their sex life.
Isteník shines as the protagonist, a victim of his own naivety, as well as his blind devotion to his elder colleague. His face is expressive, his gestures are well-timed, and his demeanour is credible. The film script, written by the Czech filmmaker Adam Rybanský alongside Lukás Csicsely, offers some excellent laugh-out-loud moments. On. the other hand, it does not always achieve its satirical objectives, perhaps because it’s a little too dry.
Rybanský, who wrote the film script alongside Lukás Csicsely, investigates the repercussions of propaganda and paranoia on individuals and also on a small community as a whole. The movie is inspired by Jaromír Balda, a Czech terrorist, who had wanted to stir up hatred against migrants with two attacks on railways, and forged letters of confession. Strangely, viewers are still asked to empathise with Broňa. This makes the story a little uneven, and the anti-racist message becomes a little blurred.
Somewhere over the Chemtrails shows online for free throughout the entire month of December as part of ArteKino 2024.
Just click here in order to watch it now.
And don’t forget to click here in order to read our exclusive interview with Adam Rybanský.
